The Sage of Sanctuary
by DemonsWake
Summary: The legends of the shinobi world are all gone now and it is up to the newer generations to maintain the peace that those past shinobi fought for. However, one legend's story isn't over just yet. Follow Naruto as he fights to bring peace to a new world while getting help along the way.
1. Chapter 1

AN: Hello there people, new writer, thought I'd give this a try. This is my first story on any site, it's a crossover between Naruto and the game Diablo III. I know there aren't many crossovers for Diablo so I am going to try and make it so you don't really need to know the Diablo storyline and hopefully get more people interested. Been an avid Fanfiction reader for several years now and I'm always thinking of stories of my own just never written anything until now. This first chapter is basically a really long prologue (sorry) and won't get into the Diablo universe until the next chapter. So let me know what you think, or not, I don't leave much reviews myself so I can't blame you.

Just a small note that I hope won't confuse you is I'll sometimes use double quotation marks for some of the speech, only when two or more people are speaking the same thing or something similar simultaneously. Not sure if it's a thing, I don't think I've seen it done before but it's just easier for me so I don't have to type the same speech two or more times.

Example: ""Stop copying me!"" (Don't worry, this won't happen a lot, I don't think?)

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the Diablo franchise.

* * *

Chapter 1

It was odd, for some. It was a bright and clear day, almost more beautiful than most were accustomed to for such a solemn affair. The very air itself was full of warmth, the breeze of the wind was soothing and calm as hundreds of thousands of people gathered for the memorial of the worlds greatest hero. That is why for some it came as a surprise that it was so beautiful this day, many thought the heavens themselves would weep along with the gathered masses.

However, those who were close to Naruto Uzumaki expected nothing less, and almost knew instinctually that he was still watching over them. They know he wouldn't want them to mourn his death, but to celebrate the life he lived, the accomplishments he made, and the peace that has continued to prosper for many decades since the end of the Fourth Great Shinobi War.

The Age of Preservation as they were calling this era has come to an end, Naruto Uzumaki was the last of the great shinobi to have survived the fourth shinobi war. All others who fought in that war have already passed on to the next life, but the world still remembers the struggle and sacrifice the shinobi nations made to ensure that the next generations would have peace. They have learned through history and stories passed down from veterans of the war to their children of what they went through and what they lost. But the legacy of what Naruto Uzumaki and the famed Team Seven did to protect the world has been ingrained into the hearts of all new generations of shinobi and civilian alike.

Among those in the gathered masses included the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of those veterans of the fourth war. None were more prominent than the ever growing Uzumaki Clan with Boruto and Himawari Uzumaki at the forefront of the large gathering with somber yet accepting expressions. The two siblings of the great hero of the world looked on in silent awe at the sheer number of people who came to honor their father. Their children and grandchildren who are still grieving are also just realizing how influential their grand and great-grandfather really was, they all heard his stories hundreds of times but couldn't truly believe all the lives he touched until now.

Since this memorial of such a prominent figure of the world was expected to have such numbers wanting to pay their respects, it was taking place in the slowly regrowing wastelands of where the Battle of Jubi took place. This day wasn't just to mourn the passing of Naruto but to remember all those who lost their lives and fought during that war, and since he was the last to pass on, the world leaders decided to mark this day as a global holiday in memoriam of the Fourth Great Shinobi War.

The great gathering of people were standing in front of a massive wall of mist that spanned about half a mile across. The ceremony was done by the monks of the Fire Temple and was performed beautifully with brief accounts of his accomplishments, the battles he fought, and his great character as a human being and what he stood for. There was a chance for any who knew Naruto or had stories to tell about him to come and speak to the crowd, not so many were brave enough but those who did were from many different countries who spoke highly of him and how he affected them.

One such person was the son of Inari from the Land of Waves, he spoke of how his father was changed by Naruto to never lose hope and fight to protect what is important to you and how he will always be the Hero of Wave. Other stories came from the now adult children of the various people Naruto affected throughout his life; including the previous Daimyo of the Land of Spring who succeeded his mother Koyuki but now is retired and passed on the title to his own daughter, Gaara's daughter spoke and was thankful that her father was able to find such a great friend in Naruto and told funny stories of when he would sometimes play with her when he came to Suna and made her laugh. Some of the children of the famous Konoha Eleven told their own personal stories of their interactions with their Seventh Hokage.

Lastly, Boruto spoke for the Uzumaki Clan about his father, "From all the stories we heard today, I think it is safe to say that my father, Naruto Uzumaki, was a great man." He let out a small chuckle, "I didn't always believe that. When I was young I never really understood why my father was so great. He was always busy with work, he came home late, he missed important events for our family, it just seemed to me that he was never there."

"It wasn't until later that I realized that my family wasn't the only one that he cared for, I know he loved us, he let my mother, sister and I know as often as he could that we were always loved by him. I just failed to realize that he was still fighting to protect the world even if it was usually from behind his desk." The crowd got a laugh out of that but he continued on.

"He once told me that as Hokage and just even as a shinobi of Konoha he held everyone in the village as precious to him, and he always protects his precious people and what is precious to them. It wasn't until my mother fully explained to me that my father protected much more than just Konoha or Fire Country. She told me that after the fourth great war, my father had many more people who became precious to him. Everyone who fought alongside him and gave him strength to continue fighting became someone he would give his life to protect. Gaara of Suna, Kurotsuchi of Iwa, Darui of Kumo, Chojuro of Kiri, are just some of the few people he added to his long list of people who became precious to him."

"I gave the names of those people specifically because we all know them as great Kages of their own villages who served along with my father in his tenure as Hokage. My mother explained to me that because they are his precious people he would protect what is precious to them, and what was most precious to them were their own villages. Which showed me that he didn't fight just to protect Konoha but he was fighting to protect the other great villages, he was fighting to protect the world and insure we had a continued peace. And as I look around this crowd, seeing people from all over the Elemental Nations, I believe that my father succeeded in his goal, but it is now up to the newer generations to continue this era of peace; so that my father, and everyone who fought in that terrible war can look down on us from the afterlife and be proud that we continued on their legacy!" The crowd erupted into loud cheers of approval hoping their savior and lost loved ones could hear them.

"It is a great honor to the Uzumaki Clan that so many have come to pay their respects to my father, and it is a privilege to present to you the Great Memorial Wall." After that announcement the mist behind Boruto began to fade away to reveal a seven foot tall, rock wall stretching a half mile with the names of all those who fell in the Fourth Great Shinobi War. There were separate sections along the wall with the symbol of the village the shinobi came from including all small villages that participated in the war in order to find a loved one's name more easily. And sitting on a raised stone platform behind the wall in the center was a sixty foot statue of Naruto sitting in the lotus position in the same form of him gathering natural energy with his arms in his lap and fingers curled in front of him.

After the shock and awe of the monument began to wear down, Boruto gave one final explanation. "This monument is a collaborative effort of all villages who had a hand in the war and is dedicated to all those who fell, many of whom died on the very grounds we walk on now. The statue of my father is a symbol of the peace that he found not only within himself but the peace he brought to the very world. All of our loved ones who died in the war are placed upon this wall and I urge you to seek out their names so they know they are remembered." With that, Boruto stepped away from the wall and rejoined his family so that everyone else could search for the names of their family members, most of whom have never had the chance to even meet before.

Boruto and Himawari led their families to the area of the wall with the Konoha leaf symbol to search for one name in particular. It was simple enough to find, with the names being in alphabetical order and only took a few minutes to find the name of the uncle they were never able to meet, Neji Hyuga. Both of the their parents told them how much Neji meant to them and what he did for them in the war. He has his own tombstone back in Konoha but seeing his name on this wall meant more to the siblings because this is the land where he was killed saving their parents, without Neji, neither of them would exist right now.

After the growing Uzumaki family said their silent prayers and left flowers and small offerings at the base of the wall like many others, they left along with their friends and their own families to go back to Konoha.

* * *

After a few days travel back to Konoha, the Uzumaki Clan could be found at the house of Himawari Uzumaki. Himawari not only had two more children than Boruto but she wanted to care for her parents in their old age so she and her husband along with the help of her parents bought a larger house so that they could stay together. Boruto and Himawari are both still married to their spouses and are very happy with them, Himawari's husband was an orphaned child from a bandit raid from another village in Fire Country and was too young to remember his surname and had no records of it; so when they eventually married he was more than happy to take the Uzumaki name as his own and be a part of her family. Naruto and Hinata loved their son and daughter in-laws and were more than happy to welcome them to their family.

The mood among the Uzumaki family was still a sorrowful one, Naruto's grandchildren who were now adults were still taking his loss fairly hard. They loved their grandfather dearly. By the time Boruto and Himawari were starting their own families, Naruto and Hinata had retired from the shinobi life and they spent much of their time with their grandchildren; babysitting, and watching them grow. Naruto had apologized to Boruto and Himawari for all the major events he missed as they were growing up, so he wanted to help them as much as he could with their own children. Boruto and Himawari told their father that they did not blame him for anything and understood the great responsibilities he had as Hokage and they had more than enough great memories with their father when they were young, he was always there for them when it mattered the most.

Himawari and Boruto could be found kneeling in a separate room in front of a shrine dedicated to both their mother and father with incense burning, saying silent prayers for them. Behind them a silent shadow loomed over them moving closer until it was right on top of them. Both were suddenly grabbed by the shoulders interrupting their prayer when a voice they would always recognize spoke out to them.

"Boruto, (sniffles) that was such a beautiful speech, (sniffles) I didn't know you cared so much!" The figure behind the two started over dramatically bawling into their shoulders, while Boruto had a tick mark on his head while Himawari couldn't help but giggle at the antics of their father.

"Shut it old man! Himawari is the one who wrote that speech!"

"Awe, princess, you know just how to move this old man's heart! Why does your brother have to be so mean?!"

Himawari responded in a scolding tone, "Father! You were at the ceremony?! You know how dangerous that could have been if someone saw you, the world believes you are dead right now!"

"Come on princess, you know how awesome your old man is. No one could spot me if I didn't want them to. No ONE!"

"Yeah, because you used that transparency technique that old perverted sage taught you," Boruto said in a dull tone.

"How did you know that!?"

"Are you senile?! YOU taught me that technique, mom just told me that Jiraiya is the one who taught _you_."

"Oh yeah, I did teach that to you didn't I?" Suddenly a dark aura appeared around Himawari as she stood up and Naruto and Boruto immediately backed away from her. She slowly turned to face her father as she spoke in a low tone.

"Yes, you did teach him that technique, and you taught all your _grandsons_ as well, YOU PERVERTED OLD MAN!" Himawari suddenly lunged at her father and struck him in the stomach, the same as all those years ago on the day he was supposed to be inaugurated as Hokage. Naruto hit the wall behind him and fell to the floor, but luckily he was prepared now and wasn't knocked out cold.

Naruto started to stand up slowly, rubbing his stomach, and grimacing a little, he was wearing a cloak with a hood still covering his face. "Jeez princess, you're lucky I activated the silencing seals earlier, otherwise the rest of the family would have heard that. And hey, I taught you and all my granddaughters that technique too you know!"

"Yes, but I know you had entirely different intentions when you were teaching the girls and boys that technique. You told all the girls it was for their protection if they were ever in trouble and needed to disappear, but you told the boys they could use it for "spying." And you even used air quotes specifically when you told your grandsons that!"

"What?! Who squealed, I told them that in confidence!"

"My baby boy Neji told his mother like a good boy."

Himawari and Boruto could hear their father grumbling something about 'spoiled mama's boys.' It wasn't until he was fully standing and the hood that was covering his face fell that they finally took in his current appearance. He was young, nothing like the old withered man they remember him being from a few days ago when he "passed away," he looked like he did in one of the pictures they have of him and their mother when they first got together. His hair was still short but he seemed even younger than they remember him being when they were children, they figured that he was in his prime form right now, when he was at his strongest physically.

Both Himawari and Boruto knew the circumstances surrounding their father and why he looked so young when he should be an old man approaching his nineties. A part of them were jealous he looked so young when they were getting up in age themselves, even though with their Uzumaki genes they looked more like forty year olds than in their sixties like they really are. The two siblings realized what this meant since he dropped the transformation he has been using as the years went on to make him look like he was aging at an average rate for an Uzumaki. It was still weird for them to see him like this because he always kept his transformation up just like the Fifth Hokage used to do, except the exact opposite to make him look older instead of younger.

The trio grew silent as realization set in until Himawari began to speak in a hushed tone. "Is it really time for you to go now?"

Naruto could hear the sadness in his daughter's voice as he gently cupped her cheek like he used to do. "Yes princess, it's time for me to go now, but don't be sad, I told you that I would be able to see you two again when I am allowed. And the two of you and your mother would be able to watch over me as well as I continue on the path set before me."

Boruto chuckled with a smile, "Haha, always the hero to save the day aren't you dad? I think it's unfair they send you out there to save them, your so overpowered it's not even funny, and with all the new help you'll have, it'll be even worse for any enemy that faces you."

Naruto could only grin back at his son, "Probably, but I'm not going to rule out the possibility that there may be more of the Otsutsuki Clan out there trying to take powers that aren't theirs to take or rule over some poor innocents. And there may be other beings entirely that can match up to or be even stronger than I am, so I won't be going in with a big head until I get a feel for the powers that be, around me." Naruto turned to his daughter as she spoke again.

"I am glad to hear that father, wouldn't want you to embarrass yourself in front of a new world trying to show off and biting more than you can chew. Mother would be very embarrassed herself since she was the one who first tried to get you to think more before you act on your impulses."

"Ha ha." Naruto said dully. "Your mother knew _exactly_ who she married. There's no shame in my game!" Naruto stated with great pride knowing that he could be impulsive at times but it usually worked out for him in the end. They all had a good laugh at that and Himawari and Boruto couldn't help but think back on how all this came to be.

* * *

 _Flashback (Valley of the End: End of the Fourth Shinobi War)_

 _The fight was done, Naruto and Sasuke's final battle at the Valley of the End was over, with no clear victor as they both lay unconscious with Naruto's right hand and forearm missing along with Sasuke's left hand and forearm missing as well. Naruto was within his mindscape as the Sage of Six Paths sits before him when Naruto sits up bleary eyed noticing the great sage next to him. He also noticed the absence of Kurama so he guessed the sage wanted a private conversation without the biju's input._

 _"Ugh, is it over?"_

 _"Not quite I am afraid. We have still yet to see the decision that Sasuke has made for himself. However, I am here for another reason, one that affects you quite significantly."_

 _"Well, what is it? Don't tell me your grandmother has come to avenge your mother or something, I don't think I can handle another fight with another one of you freaky aliens anymore."_

 _The sage could only chuckle at that remark, "No, fortunately there will be no further fighting in this war as of yet." His demeanor turned serious and Naruto took notice of his expression and braced himself for whatever else he was throwing at him. "I am going to be blunt about this Naruto. You are immortal now."_

 _Naruto could only stare at him to see if this was some kind of joke, when he didn't receive the punchline, he could only ask one question. "Why?"_

 _"By ascending to your Six Paths Sage Mode and having access to the chakras of all nine of the Biju, your power has surpassed the limitations of mortals. Once your body has hit its peak you will no longer age like a normal human. However I am also afraid that other powers are at work here and deities of other worlds have taken an interest in your character and have agreed to allow you to be unaffected by time."_

 _"If my power has already granted me immortality, what do other gods have to do with it, how could they_ allow _me to have anything?"_

 _"When a human's power ascends beyond their limitations in an innate manner and into the realm of gods, the gods will become wary, and they must agree to allow the process to continue otherwise the gods will group together to stop the ascension from progressing any further. This will occur when they have doubts that the individual will stay true to themselves in the future, only ones they believe to be incorruptible will be allowed to continue on as they are."_

 _"Are you telling me that I'm gonna be a god now?!"_

 _"No, you have still yet to reach the state of godhood and you may in fact never be able to ascend any higher than you are now. There is one final step you must take to become a god but it is only something you can find for yourself, and no one else will be able to help you with that."_

 _"Jeez, you're really dumping a lot on me I don't want to deal with you know. (sigh) Don't worry, I won't even try to find that next step, I don't want anyone to ever see me as a god. Now what were you saying about my character or something? What do you mean by that?"_

 _"Your confidence, your conviction, your valor, your benevolence, your love. In other words, your heart; the ability you posses to create victory from defeat, to make enemies become your allies, to change the world so easily. Other gods have been watching you and have been quite shaken by your purity, there have been many heroes that have had the favor of deities but none have gained the interest of so many gods that they wish to see more of what you are capable of and are refusing to allow you to die so easily. They believe that you will be able to help save their own worlds from destruction."_

 _Naruto couldn't help but scratch his head in embarrassment at the praise, from other deities no less, but couldn't help but disagree with one point. "I really wouldn't say that I changed the world, or that it was easy really."_

 _"Oh, but you did. Fighting on that battlefield alongside other shinobi of differing nations changed their hearts. You, who could have stayed away from this war made a choice. You made the choice that you didn't want anyone to die protecting you; that because of your conviction and valor you risked yourself and the world in the pure confidence in yourself that you would come out victorious despite the overwhelming odds. And that is exactly what you accomplished, the fighting may have been arduous and despairing but you were able to move forward because so many others put their faith in you that you would save them and you drew strength from their belief in you. That is what the gods have seen from you and they know your gifts will be able to save many others. Unless you become a person that the people will no longer believe in, the gods will continue to grant you their favor."_

 _"So then, I can't die because the gods don't want me to? If that's the case, I don't want it! Do you know how many people died in this war to protect what was most important to them?! What about them?! They didn't deserve this, they didn't want this! How is it fair that I get to live forever when their lives were cut so short?! Why don't the gods save those that deserve to be saved?!"_

 _Hagoromo could only look on with pride at what he was seeing before him, a true hero of the people. Naruto didn't want any favors, no prize, no fame or glory, his selflessness is what truly gave notice to the other deities of the universe. "Benevolence and love. These traits are truly difficult to find so pure in a human being, that is what sets you apart the most. I saw these traits in my son Asura and I see them in you as well."_

 _Naruto looked down in shame, again not agreeing with everything he is being told about himself. "I'm not as pure as you think I am, I have taken lives before. There is blood on my hands just like most other shinobi."_

 _"You forgive when forgiveness is deserved and you bring justice when there is no other course. Do not think that the gods look down on those who take life for righteous reasons. There are evils in the universe that cannot be purified, people who cannot be moved from the dark path they walk. Because of your new ability to sense the depth of darkness in others you will be more able to judge who deserves a second chance and who must be punished for their misdeeds."_

 _"I still don't want this, I don't deserve to live forever. I don't want to watch as all my friends die around me. I don't think I can handle that. And I don't want to be forced to leave my world before any real peace could be established yet!"_

 _"I believe in you, Naruto Uzumaki. Asura was to be the successor of my will but I believe that you are the true successor the world, and maybe even the universe, has been waiting for. Don't worry for now, your path is still not laid before you and I will not allow you to be sent from this world before you have been fully able to live out a normal life and find your own happiness. But before anything can be moved forward we must wait to see if you could truly do the impossible."_

 _"And what is that?"_

 _"To change the will of the spirit of my first-born son."_

* * *

 _(Konoha: Ten years before the "death" of Naruto Uzumaki)_

 _Dark clouds gathered overhead as the funeral procession marched on, Sasuke Uchiha passed away three days prior to the same unknown disease that ailed his brother. Because of his obtained ocular prowess from the fourth war he was able to survive much longer than he normally would have. There was a large gathering of Konoha shinobi and civilian alike attending his funeral, a dark hero in his own right, but a hero nonetheless. The slowly building Uchiha Clan were all there as well as the fairly larger growing Uzumaki Clan with both the Uzumaki Patriarch and Matriarch, Naruto and Hinata Uzumaki, in attendance. What few survivors of the war were also in attendance including his wife Sakura Uchiha, Rock Lee, Temari Nara, and Karui Akimichi._

 _All the village and clans of Konoha paid their respects to their Uchiha hero, his daughter Sarada, his grandchildren and wife spoke in honor of him, as well as Boruto Uzumaki and the Seventh Hokage. He was laid to rest in the Uchiha family tomb where offerings and flowers were placed all around. His funeral was a mostly quiet affair which is what he would have wanted, well accept when Naruto spoke of him._

* * *

 _After fifty plus years of waiting for what Hagoromo Otsutsuki has decided would happen with him, he would finally receive his answer this night. When Naruto and Hinata became serious about their relationship and Naruto knew that he loved her, he told her everything about what the Sage of Six Paths had told him. How he was immortal and that he may have to accomplish or continue some tasks made by other gods. Hinata was rightfully shocked at the news but also upset, she didn't want this for her love any more than he did. She wanted them to grow old together and to live on in the afterlife together, she wanted to always be with him. But she was more concerned for Naruto, she just didn't want him to be alone again._

 _The years moved on and she continued to see how Naruto grew and became such a prominent figure in the world even after the war. How he continued to save and change lives for the better, she couldn't help but see exactly what those gods wanted him to accomplish. He saved their world and there would probably be other worlds out there that also needed a hero of his caliber and strength that could save them. She couldn't help but feel that that is where Naruto thrives the most, helping others and saving lives. She kept these thoughts to herself for now because she knew that Naruto told her that the sage said nothing was set in stone yet, so he may not even remain immortal when the time comes._

 _Naruto was brought back to his mindscape that night in his sleep to see the sage once again before him to give him any new information, but he wasn't the only one who was there; Hinata and Kurama were there with him this time. Naruto couldn't help but stare at his wife who was back to a younger version of herself when they first became serious for one another, 'she has her long hair again,' Naruto thought to himself. The same could be said for Hinata because she was staring at him with the same amount of love she has always given him._

 _"I hope you two don't plan to mate in here, I don't need the smell or you two dirtying up this place."_

 _Hinata blushed heavily and looked away but Naruto just looked annoyed by his partner for embarrassing his wife which he let the large fox know. "Oi! Shut it Kurama! You ruined the moment!" Kurama only grinned and snorted giving a small chuckle._

 _"The love you two have grown for each other and have given to your family makes this old man's hope for the future of the Elemental Nations grow stronger. I have come before you and brought your wife and Kurama here to inform you of what has happened with the death of Sasuke Uchiha."_

 _Naruto turned towards Hagoromo after settling his arms around his wife as she did the same so they could listen together. "Okay, so what exactly do you mean by all this, I'm not sure I understand what you meant when you said if I could change the will of Indra. And what does it mean if I couldn't change him?"_

 _"If Indra's soul continued its path of hatred and revenge then the cycle would repeat itself and the two brothers' souls would continue to wage against each other. Their souls would not be able to rest and two more children would be born as their reincarnations to continue their fight."_

 _Hinata couldn't help but speak then, "That's terrible, if that happens again then wars would eventually break out and the peace we struggled and fought for would come to an end!"_

 _"That is correct. Since Sasuke was the last mortal to harbor Indra's spirit, it fell to him to be the one who would determine if Indra's soul could finally be at peace through his own life. His final years of life and the burial of his body were the last stages of the cycle to determine if Sasuke was truly at peace, if he had any regrets the last moments of his life the cycle would start again."_

 _Naruto didn't like the sound of that, he honestly didn't know if Sasuke was content with his life. He came back eventually to live with his family but he never spoke to him about anything personal in his life, so he didn't know if anything was wrong that he could help him with. Was he still upset about the end of the war, did he really come to terms with his own demons, was he able to find peace for himself or was the war still being waged? He just didn't know._

 _"Well, what happened, is this all gonna start over again?"_

 _Hagoromo couldn't help but smile, "No. The cycle has ended and so both of my son's souls will be at peace, their eternal war is finished. You, Naruto Uzumaki, have done what I could not, what_ any _of Asura's reincarnations could not. You have given peace to a much tormented soul and I now believe that peace can truly be sustained within our world. You have my eternal gratitude and this world owes you a debt that can never be paid."_

 _No one could tear the wide grin from Naruto's face right now if they tried and he couldn't help the tears that were threatening to fall at hearing this news. Sasuke was at peace with himself, Naruto was always afraid Sasuke wouldn't find what he was looking for on his self imposed exile, but he was truly happy that he was able to. Even if he was still a broody bastard in his old age, Sasuke was still his best friend and he just wanted him to be happy._

 _Hinata couldn't help her own smile at seeing the large grin on her husband's face, she was so happy for Naruto and Sasuke. She gripped her husband tighter to show her support and gave him a kiss to show him how happy she was for him. Naruto returned her kiss and let out his laughter as he picked her up and spun her around like they were newlyweds again. Naruto's laughter was infectious and Hinata let out her own laugh at how happy he was._

 _Kurama looked down at his container and his wife and grinned a little himself, but ever the mood breaker he asked the real question that needed to be asked. "So, what does this mean for the brat over here? Will he have to continue fighting for others or will he be able to rest when his time comes."_

 _That broke the lovebirds out of their moment again and they both became silent, Hinata looked to be in thought and Naruto just stared at Kurama with a dull face. "You really gotta read the mood you giant ball of lint!"_

 _Kurama just leaned forward, his snout just in front of Naruto with his teeth bared. "Make me!"_

 _Before Naruto could try and tear into his partner Hinata grabbed his forearm and spoke to him. "He's right Naruto-kun, this is what we both have wanted to know for many years now." Hinata turned to the sage and spoke to him. "I just want to know if I'll ever be able to see Naruto again, will his journey ever come to an end or will he really be forced to live an eternity fighting and eventually being alone again?"_

 _"Hold on Hinata-chan! I haven't..."_

 _Hinata cut her husband off by lightly taking his cheeks in her hands, this was something she did when she wanted his undivided attention on her and she wanted him to listen to what she had to say. And like usual it worked like a charm. Naruto stopped speaking, looking intently at his wife for what she was going to say._

 _"Naruto-kun, I love you, I love you so much, and the world loves you as well. There hasn't been any major incidents or even hints of treachery or war for nearly five decades now, peace is being firmly held within the world's grasp and the new generations aren't letting go of it any time soon. You have fulfilled your father's and your master's dream where people are understanding each other and peace is the result."_

 _"It wasn't just me, you know, I had help along the way. Including my beautiful wife, who was my greatest supporter, the one who always kept my head on straight."_

 _Hinata gave him a beautiful smile and hugged him close. "I know, you had help from many people because they believed in you. They believed in your dream and the world is safer for it, but it is selfish of us to try and keep you for ourselves. There are other people out there who need the same help we did, who need to be saved so they can create their own peace."_

 _Hinata loosened the hug to stare at her husband again. "Ever since I was a little girl and I watched how you always did your best and never gave up, I knew that you were going to do great things. It is just recently that I realized that our world can't be the only one who needs you. Our grandchildren and great-grandchildren will continue on your will and the legacy of all those who fought for this peace, but I believe that you must use your strength for those who need it now."_

 _"But what about our eternity together in the afterlife, I can't handle never seeing you again, you are where I get most of my strength from." At this point Hagoromo decided to interject._

 _"I believe I can clarify a few things, but first I'll answer your wife's questions to ease your doubts. You_ will _be able to see each other again; for a man who has impacted this world so greatly, it would be a cruelty to never allow you to see your family again in the afterlife. As for your journey, it will come to an end eventually but I cannot say with any certainty how long it will last. However, you will be given a few new abilities should you accept this role, and a few liberties will be granted to you. And I personally have a request of you should you accept."_

 _Naruto could only stand there and think on his decision, he trusts his wife's judgment and hearing that he would see her again puts his mind at ease but it is still a huge undertaking. Going into a new world without any knowledge or knowing anyone there, it would be difficult to try and establish himself, but if these worlds did need help, he couldn't deny his own feelings of wanting to give them his aid. His decision really wasn't much of a struggle after all._

 _"Okay, I guess it isn't really much of a choice when I think about it. I accept this responsibility, what abilities will I receive and what is it that you request of me?"_

 _"Thank you Naruto. The other gods and I are grateful for this endeavor that you will be put through. The abilities you will receive are nothing too elaborate, in fact one ability has already been at your disposal for some time now."_

 _"What do you mean, I never really felt any different or had any new techniques to use?"_

 _"Do you remember how that new arm of yours essentially became a true part of your body, how it eventually lost its discoloration and you could no longer tell that it was not a part of your original arm."_

 _"Yes, that was a really weird time, Sakura nor Tsunade could really give me a solid explanation of how the new arm appeared to simply integrate itself with my body. We always thought that I would have to keep it bandaged up, and it happened over the course of a few years, the color just started to fade slowly until it looked completely natural."_

 _"Because Hashirama was one of the reincarnations of Asura, the cells that were used to create your new arm felt the familiarity of your chakra and slowly became a part of your DNA. And since your DNA was changed by that you gained the ability to use Hashirama's mokuton techniques."_

 _"Are you serious?! I could have been using mokuton for the past five decades or something! Why didn't anyone tell me?!"_

 _"The same reason you kept your immortality a secret and used a henge over the years to make your appearance seem to age normally. The world was finally given a chance at peace, but if they were to learn you became immortal or gained the ability of the First Hokage, people would begin to fear you or become suspicious and the peace you worked for would have crumbled."_

 _Naruto knew he was right, Hinata was the only person he ever told about all this, he definitely didn't want to tell Sasuke who he thought might become jealous or anyone else in case it ever got out to the world. Him using mokuton would have been another problem with too many questions._

 _"Yeah, I know you're right but it's just shocking to know that I can use that ability now. Okay, so what else is there, am I getting the Rinnegan?" Naruto asked with a little too much hope in his voice and thought to himself. 'The Rinnegan would be so cool to have.'_

 _The sage just looked on with a deadpan expression. "No. The Rinnegan, Sharingan, Byakugan, or any other bloodline will not be given to you."_

 _Naruto's hopeful expression immediately fell with that response but he supposed mokuton would be the best he could get, it was an amazing ability so he isn't too disappointed._

 _"But I will be giving you the knowledge of Asura's past reincarnations, including everything you need to know about using Hashirama's mokuton techniques, but you will have to train yourself to be proficient in the art."_

 _Naruto knew that knowledge was probably the best thing he could ask for. Over the years as he first prepared to take on the mantle of Hokage he had to bury himself in books, absorbing all the knowledge he could to best prepare himself to lead a village. Any knowledge he could get would be a great asset, but he was also curious about what knowledge Asura's other reincarnations had that he could use._

 _"I don't think I've ever heard of who Asura's other reincarnations were, how many reincarnations were there anyway?"_

 _"You would be Asura's third reincarnation, there was only one other who was the first even before Hashirama. His name was Eikichi and it could be said that without him the art of fuinjutsu would have never came to be as it was. He set the groundwork for the future of fuinjustu. He had no family name of his own but it is to be believed that he was the ancestor of the first Uzumakis, and that was why the Uzumaki Clan had so many masters in the art. And you, Naruto, will be given all his knowledge of it. But just know that he wasn't the creator of many of the seals that you know of, he was just a man who completely understood the inner workings and makings of seals. If he were given any seal of today including the Shiki Fuin or even Orochimaru's curse seal he would no doubt be able to break them down and be able to reverse or destroy them without any drawbacks or difficulty."_

 _"That's amazing, I studied fuinjutsu as much as I could in order to follow in my father's and master's steps but I am no better than an adept right now. This will really be a great help; even though I don't know everything about it I do know that fuinjutsu is the most versatile skill a true master can have."_

 _"You are correct, fuinjutsu has the potential to be an incredibly dangerous and useful art in the right mind."_

 _"So I guess that's it for the abilities I'll be getting, but what sort of liberties will I have?"_

 _"That pertains to seeing your family in the afterlife when they pass on, but first I would like you to hear the request I have made about your journey." Naruto, Hinata and Kurama all listened closely to what the sage would ask of him because anything he would request should be very important._

 _"I would like you to take the other Biju with you on your journey and be the container for all nine of them."_

 _They were all surprised at the request because they didn't think he would want them to be caged in again, and containing them all in one person may revive the Jubi again if they aren't careful. Naruto had to voice his concerns to the great sage._

 _"Are you sure that's wise, what if they merge again to become the Jubi, and I don't want them to feel like they have to be locked up again inside a vessel. Aren't they happy to be free again like they once were, would they even want to come with me on this journey?"_

 _"Don't worry brat, the other Biju and I would be more than willing to go with you on this journey, I'm sure they're completely bored right now and probably have been for a while."_

 _"Yes, Kurama is right and you needn't worry about the Jubi reforming, it can only be reformed by using the Gedo Mazo. The truth is that the other Biju have been in hiding as per my request, and I am afraid that staying in the shadows for so long has caused them to become restless. They wish to see and experience more of the world and when I brought this topic of conversation before them they were ecstatic to come and see you again and see new worlds before them."_

 _"Why are the Biju in hiding?"_

 _"It was a safety precaution for their own and the world's protection. I didn't want the temptation of creating new jinchuriki to fester in the hearts of man once more, so the safest thing I could do is keep the Biju out of sight."_

 _"I see, and I agree with you wholeheartedly. And it seems to have worked, the Biju haven't been seen since the war and some are starting to believe they may be a myth now, well except for Kurama since he's still with me. If they really are excited to come with me I'll gladly have them come along."_

 _"They will be happy to hear it. Now, the liberties you will be granted will be much simpler now that you have agreed to take the Biju with you. Early in the Biju's lives Matatabi somehow gained the favor of the Shinigami and she had been guiding the souls of the dead to the afterlife until she eventually became sealed in her first jinchuriki. Because of her connection to the afterlife she will be able to open a portal for you to enter said realm so that you can once again see your family."_

 _"However, there will be limitations to this. For every year, from the time you leave this world, you abstain from entering the afterlife you will be granted two days time to spend with your family. So if you do not have the portal opened for ten years you will be given twenty days to spend with your family. Matatabi will only be able to open the portal once a full year has passed from the first time she opens the portal and every other time after that."_

 _"That sounds fair, I think I'll probably save up those years just so I can spend more time with my family, besides I should be busy enough that I'll probably use up plenty of time trying to help everyone."_

 _Hinata had to express her own gratitude to Hagoromo. "Yes, thank you for allowing Naruto-kun to spend time with his family when he can. It will be difficult without him for so long but I know I won't be alone when my time comes, I'll be able to see my friends, my family and my parents again and I'll always wait for my husband as long as it takes."_

 _"You are welcome, however the gods of the other worlds would also like to request that you remain in their worlds for the span of a normal human lifetime in order to ensure the peace you will be fighting for remains steady and abiding."_

 _"Really? I figured I would just keep moving from world to world once the enemy was taken care of?"_

 _Surprisingly, Hinata was the one to answer. "No, I don't think that would really be wise if you just suddenly left them behind. You know how much work it is to maintain a peaceful era, winning a war does not automatically ensure that peace will remain. It took you decades of hard work to maintain the cooperation of all villages with each other."_

 _"Yeah, I know that, but won't the other worlds need help right away, can they really afford to wait for me that long?" Naruto turned to Hagoromo to see what he thought about it._

 _"You need not worry about a time frame. These worlds are in danger yes, but the gods are able to manipulate the time stream between worlds so that you will enter their realm well before the worst may come to pass."_

 _"Well I guess that makes things easier, but I still didn't really want to have to stay for that long, can't they handle things when it's all over?"_

 _"Naruto-kun." Naruto turned to Hinata and noticed that she had a smile on her face. "I believe you should listen to their request. I know you will make many new friends and allies wherever you go, because if their world is in danger I know there will be people who are willing to fight alongside you for it. And if you just leave them after everything you go through, I know they will be extremely saddened, because you always have a way to enter the hearts of others. So please, help them all the way through the end, they will need you. And I also want you to do a favor for me."_

 _"What is it, you know I'll do anything for you."_

 _"Don't close your heart because of me."_

 _"Hina..."_

 _"Listen. I know you love me, and I will always love you; I would never think any less of you if you find love with another woman, and I know with_ you _, there will be no shortage of women who will vie for your affections. I had plenty of competition of my own to deal with when we first got together. All I ask is that you love them and any children you have with them with just as much love as you have given me and our children. I know you were the happiest when you were there with our family, and you were even happier when our family started to grow even more, so I want you to keep searching for that same happiness."_

 _Naruto just stared in his wife's eyes trying to look for any hint of doubt in what she was saying, but no matter how hard he searched he couldn't find any. Hinata amazed him time and time again with her compassion, her kindness really knew no equal. Even compared to his own kindness, he didn't believe he could match up to hers. After several moments of staring at his wife he just smiled and chuckled a little while running a hand through her hair like he still loved to do._

 _"Wow, you have really thought about all of this for a long time haven't you?" Hinata returned his smile with a large smile of her own._

 _"Of course. I have been trying to get you to do the same thing for years now, I thought being Hokage finally taught you that."_

 _"Hehe, I guess being out of that hat and just spending time with our grand-kids for so long has made me lose a step or two. I'll just have to make sure I gain a few more back to compensate."_

 _"I know you will." Naruto and Hinata held each other close and were leaning into each other for a kiss, until a sudden gust of warm wind blew at them from one side. They looked to where the gust came from and only saw two black tunnels towering over them until they realized it was a pair of nostrils connected to a large snout._

 _"So you mean I'll have to put up with this lovey dovey nonsense with even more women in the future. I'd really rather not have to deal with this anymore." Naruto and Hinata continued holding each other just staring at the giant fox in annoyance, yes even Hinata was annoyed now, until Naruto flew off the handle._

 _"I'm gonna kick your ass Kurama!" Kurama only grinned baring all his teeth while standing on all fours waiting for Naruto to make the first move. But Hagoromo who had been in thought until now decided to speak up before any fighting could ensue._

 _"Now that I have thought about this, I believe the other gods may have an ulterior motive for wanting you to stay in their worlds for so long." Everyone stopped at that and turned to the sage, but it was Hinata who spoke for them._

 _"What makes you say that?"_

 _"Naruto's progeny." Hagoromo let that sink in to let them think about it for a few moments before he continued. "Your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren just may be the key they are looking for. Your descendants so far all have the same kind of benevolence and love that you exude, and their strength and power is impressive as well, perhaps not to the same extent as yourself, but it is still very much there. They most likely believe that the descendants you leave behind will be able to continue sustaining the peace that their forefather will have fought for."_

 _"So they basically want me to save their world and sleep with their women so my offspring will maintain their peace?" Naruto said in a dull tone. Hinata blushed at his words but was still annoyed and slapped him across the stomach with some force to show her annoyance with him. Naruto just rubbed his stomach and the back of his head smiling sheepishly giving a small apology to his wife._

 _Hagoromo gave his own laugh at his comment. "It is only an old man's suspicions, I wouldn't look too much into it if I were you. You only need to be yourself and do what it is you believe is right and nothing else."_

 _"I guess that's all I can really do anyway. So when do I have to leave for all this?"_

 _"The choice is yours, when you are fully prepared and ready, you will be transported to a new world and you may start your journey. I only suggest that you use your time wisely. You may want to start gathering the Biju first, and perhaps train and expand your mind to the new abilities and knowledge you will be given."_

 _Naruto looked towards Hinata again and held her hand. "Well I'll first be spending all my time with my wife and when... After that I'll start looking for the Biju and train along the way until I am ready." Naruto and Hinata both knew her time was coming to an end soon, she was in perfect health but her body was still susceptible to time and she would pass on naturally. Naruto was sad but wouldn't let it show in front of her and he knew he would see her again in the afterlife, but it still hurt incredibly to have to watch as she slowly dies._

 _"Take all the time you need, I will know when you are ready. The knowledge you gain will be transferred to you as you continue sleeping and will be at your disposal when you awake."_

 _Flashback End_

* * *

(Himawari's Household: Shrine Room)

"Ten years ago, the day after sensei's funeral, you and mom told the two of us everything. I thought it all was a load of shit until I saw the look in mom's eyes, and I knew you were telling the truth."

"Oi! Why can't you believe your dad you brat?!"

"I believed you father!"

"I know you did, my princess loves her father!" Naruto exclaimed while hugging Himawari tightly.

"Daddy's girl."

"Momma's boy!"

"You take that back!"

"Why, when it's completely true!"

The siblings argument was interrupted by their father's raucous laughter, a laughter they couldn't help but join. After the laughter died down Naruto placed his hands on one of their shoulders again this time facing them.

"I love you two, you both know that right?"

""Of course dad/father.""

"I'll see you two again, but not for a long while. I'm gonna be busy and you two still have a lot of life left to live. Make sure you teach those grand-kids of yours the Uzumaki way alright; just like I taught the two of you and your kids. Your mother will be waiting for us as well but I think she should be enjoying the peace and quiet without us around for a while longer." They all chuckled at that but Himawari spoke up still with a smile on her face.

"No she won't, she loved the craziness of our house. I know she misses us but she still wouldn't want to see us too soon. I hope she isn't lonely."

"No way, all our friends are with her, your uncle Neji is there, sadly your aunt Hanabi will probably be seeing her in a few years, and your grandparents too will be with her. I know your mother is anything but lonely right now, especially if my mom got a hold of her. Where do you think _my_ crazy comes from. I know she's still watching us, loving us from the afterlife."

"We know dad, take care of yourself old man, we can handle things here."

"Yes father, please be careful, and make sure you do as mother says! I want even more brothers and sisters to love and watch over okay!"

"Hehe, we'll see what happens, my priority is saving people not picking up women. I'm proud of you two, remember to always ""protect what's precious to you!""

"We know dad! Just get out of here already old man!"

Himawari chuckled but wrapped her father in a tight embrace dragging her brother with her in a group hug. Naruto smiled and held his two children closely, his warmth spreading over them and their eyes closed. Tears started to slowly stain Himawari's cheeks as she could no longer feel the embrace of her father, and Boruto just stood there silently holding onto his sister's hand. Their father was gone, no more words needed to be said. Naruto Uzumaki was finally gone from their world and it would be up to the new generations to keep the peace he helped create.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Sorry for the wait, hopefully the other chapters won't take this long but I can't promise anything. I know from chapter one I left this story open to pretty much any other universe when it finishes so I could create more crossovers later, not sure how that will work out but we'll see if this does any good first.

Thank you to those who liked the start of the story, I'm a bit proud of it myself. To all those who added it to your favorites, followed, and reviewed thank you again.

Any characters used throughout the story will for the most part NOT be OCs, they will usually be a part of the Diablo universe, so once the name of a new character is given you can search the net for them if you want a clear visual of them, but not all of them will have visuals, they're just part of the lore. The names of weapons will also be given as a note because I changed their generic ones for more unique ones and those have visuals also. I may not give the best descriptions and I won't be giving too much intricate detail, mostly just a general description but I'll do my best.

* * *

Chapter 2

Naruto opened his eyes to see a swath of greenery before him, almost similar to what he was used to back in Konoha, which was a little comforting, but there was quite a significant difference between the two that also made him a bit uncomfortable as well. Konoha was mostly a warm climate with an above average rainfall and a short snow season, but what he was standing in was very humid and very wet. Instead of tall trees reaching straight up to the sky like he was used to, he is surrounded by trees growing at gnarled angles covered in moss, and dangerous looking plants all along the ground. In other words it was just a slightly different variation of the Forest of Death.

"Yup, definitely like the Forest of Death, maybe we can call this the _Jungle_ of Death. I can smell the faint poisons of, well a _whole lot_ of different plants, and the insects look a lot more dangerous and bigger than normal. (sigh) Just like a part of home I guess."

' _I like it here, there's plenty of moisture and the temperature_ _is just right, perfect for a growing ecosystem._ Lucky _!_ ' Chomei couldn't help but exclaim his praise at where they were located currently.

' _Of course you_ _would like it you giant meal worm! It's like a paradise for you, but even if it_ _is_ _hot here, there's way too much moisture for my liking._ '

' _Spoken like a true sand rat Shukaku._ '

Kurama just rolled his eyes at how his siblings are already acting their first moments in a new world. Hagoromo wasn't kidding, the Biju were very bored just hiding, so a new environment was exciting. Before any more arguments could start Naruto intervened speaking in his mind rather than out loud.

' _Alright guys, let's not fight when we first get here alright. We don't know anything about where we are or what's going on so I need to keep my senses up, and I can't really do that if you all are yelling in my head, okay._ '

'' _Sorry._ ''

' _It's fine, I'm not saying to not speak or anything, if you have something to say_ _just say it, I just don't want to deal with arguments right now. After we get our bearings a little you all can rip into each other afterwards, okay. I suppose the easiest way to get information is to go into my Six Paths Sage Mode and get a feel_ _for this world and get a sense of where I should start first or something._ '

Naruto was easily able to gather the natural energy that he was surrounded by and entered his initial Six Paths Sage Mode, that is without the bright glowing and the only thing changing is his eyes. Once blue eyes turned yellow with a horizontal bar and vertical slit as pupils.

Naruto was not prepared for the mass influx of negative emotion that hit him like hundreds of tidal waves. He couldn't stop the scream that came out of his mouth or the tears flowing from his eyes as he collapsed on his hands and knees.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

'' _NARUTO!_ ''

Naruto couldn't stop the flow of the nature enhanced chakra fast enough, as his head and forearms hit the floor, his body was shaking, his tears slowing but still there. He had never witnessed so many nor such powerful negative emotions in his entire life before. The entire world of where ever he was, was in dire need of help.

"What the fuck was that?!" Naruto's voice was soft and shaken but the emotion was evident. So many people suffering or causing the suffering was just unthinkable to him, the shinobi nations at their lowest could not compare to this feeling.

' _It wasn't just humans you were sensing, most of what we all felt came from what could only be demons._ '

' _Kurama is right!_ _The majority of the emotions you felt came from abominations who's nature can only be described as purely evil. So do not lose faith, this world's humans aren't lost, but they are in grave danger. We need to hurry and put a stop to this!_ ' Kokuo being more of a pacifist than the others couldn't help but worry for her container and try to lift his spirits as best she could.

' _Yes, we all agree and we are all at your disposal, but I would suggest that until we can end this evil, you do not enter your sage modes at all, or at the least Six Paths Sage Mode, so you don't have to go through this again._ ' Matatabi voiced her own concerns while giving the support of herself and the others to Naruto.

' _Thanks guys, I really_ _appreciate your help and concern. And don't worry, I won't be using sage mode any time soon, at least not without precautions. I probably won't need it anyway, I felt the power of everything and none of it seemed to_ _come close to being a major threat for any of us. My only concern is the magnitude of enemies I sensed, there is easily millions and it felt like it was growing._ '

' _Do_ _not_ _despair_ _Naruto, the Great Monkey King, Son Goku will give his aid in battle and crush all who stand in our path!_ '

The other Biju couldn't stop their own excitement as they all gave out loud roars of approval in giving Naruto their aid, even the quiet ones Isobu and Kokuo joined in. Naruto leaned against a tree trunk wiping his eyes and winced a little at all the roaring going on in his head but he knew they meant well and was glad they seemed so eager to help or at least eager to crush things, he was happy either way.

"Oh my, this is quite the sad sight to see a grown man cry. Are you lost little boy, did you lose your mommy and can't find your way back?"

Naruto could hear the sarcasm and playfulness in the voice in front of him as he looked up to see quite a stunning young woman. She has black hair, wearing elaborate armor trimmed in gold and clothes in purple and white, with a gold crown type headdress. She held what he could only think of as a scepter in her right hand that looked like it was carved into the shape of a skull with a burning candle on its head with two protrusions like wings coming out on either side (Aether Walker) and a metal orb with etchings carved into it and a rune glowing around it floating above her left hand (Etched Sigil).

"There's nothing wrong with crying when the need arises, you can cry when you're happy or you can cry when you feel sad. There's nothing to be ashamed of." Naruto gave her a smile knowing that she wasn't trying to be cruel or anything, it was most likely just a part of her personality.

She just laughed at that statement while watching the man garbed in a cloak with the brightest hair she had ever seen before stand up and she gave her own smile in return. "You're a strange one aren't you? Most men would deny ever being seen crying or that it would only shame them if they did. I was only jesting; are you alright, were you attacked by someone? I came this way because I felt an immense power radiating from this direction but it disappeared quite quickly. (sigh) I was hoping to see something interesting, but all I find is you here and you don't look injured at all."

"Well that's not nice, I'll have you know that I can be very interesting indeed!"

"Oh really? And what pray is interesting about you?"

"Haha. I can't just give away all my secrets. You'll just have to stick around and see something interesting."

"Well that's not very fun at all!"

"Sorry, couldn't help myself. By the way?"

"What is it?"

"What is someone like you doing in a place like this?"

"How rude! What exactly is that supposed to mean?!"

"Sorry, sorry, it's just that you don't look... well, the outdoorsie type."

"Hmph. I'll have you know that I am very well traveled and am perfectly capable of living in the wilderness. I have all sorts of knowledge of the world at my disposal. But I suppose I do prefer sleeping on a bed and at least a well made meal once in a while."

"Hahaha, I'm sure anyone would prefer those things. Forgive me for judging too hastily, it is very true to never judge a book by its cover. Oh, we haven't introduced ourselves have we. I am Naruto Uzumaki, wandering sage."

"I am Li-Ming, high wizard in search of knowledge and the arcane. And you're a sage you say? What kind of knowledge can you give me, do you know anything of the arcane magics? Not that I really need it, I know just about all I need to know about that. What about forgotten histories of the world, sages usually have their own piece of history that they protect from being lost. What sect of sages do you hail from, are you with the Lut Gholein sages, they are probably the largest sect right now even though their numbers are dwindling. There's not many new sages in the world these days and you look quite young for a sage, it usually takes decades to become a full sage and you look like you have not lived more than only two decades. Hmm, perhaps you _are_ interesting."

' _She's quite the motormouth huh? Almost reminds me of Killer Bee, just without the rapping._ ' Gyuki was just reminded of the rapping nonsense of his old partner and this girl saying all that in one breath just brought back memories.

Li-Ming was looking more closely at Naruto now, the sages of this world are just about all old men and women who are more interested in dispensing knowledge to those who seek it. And Naruto looks far too young to be a sage. Also, aspiring sages do their traveling while their young and when they finally reach sage-hood they stay in one place so that they are easier to find for those who seek knowledge, so Naruto saying he is a wandering sage is quite the oxymoron to Li-Ming.

' _Shit, she's suspicious of me now! Back in our world sages are like one in a million, you'd never expect to find one. But it seems_ _like_ _there's a bunch of sages here even if their numbers are low. And I don't have any relevant knowledge to give her, the people here don't use chakra so I can't teach anything. And the sages here sound like they're just old men who have great wisdom and don't use the natural energy of the world; so our definition of sages are probably completely different! What am I gonna do, I haven't had time to think_ _of a background_ _story yet. I didn't think I would meet anyone so soon. I gotta think quick!_ '

The Biju just sighed in embarrassment and thought that that girl isn't the only motormouth around here.

Naruto's innate sense for danger saved him from having to think up a believable response so quickly as he suddenly rushed Li-Ming and picked her up to jump up to a branch of a tree. Putting Li-Ming on her own two feet, he saw the ground where they once stood, glow and a number of hands and arms come rising up trying to take hold of what is no longer there, along with hearing wailing screams coming from the glowing circle that summoned them.

Li-Ming herself was shocked, suddenly finding herself standing on a branch when she was on the floor only moments ago. She too looked down to see what could have taken hold of them. ' _I didn't even see him move, that_ _was just as fast as_ _my teleport! No human should be able to move that quickly without magic, this man is very_ _dangerous, I'll have to keep my guard up around him._ ' Li-Ming got her bearings straight and kept her facial expression from revealing any distress from the new information she just witnessed and spoke.

"That was Grasp of the Dead, the Umbaru are here. Well I suppose this _is_ their homeland so no surprise there. I've never met a Witch Doctor before. Keep your guard up Naruto, Witch Doctors can be very dangerous, but they usually don't attack outsiders like this without any warning."

Naruto and Li-Ming looked on for any signs of their attacker until they heard thundering footsteps slowly walking towards them. The trees and thick shrubbery of the jungle began to move in front of them and they could hear the trees breaking as a creature neither has ever seen before steps in front of them several feet away standing eye to eye with them. Now, Naruto and Li-Ming are still standing on top of the branch of the tree which is only about eight feet off the ground and Naruto is about six feet tall himself so this lumbering beast was easily fourteen feet tall.

Li-Ming was about to raise her wand to strike at the behemoth until Naruto grabbed a hold of her forearm to stop her. Naruto didn't know what that 'scepter' did but he could feel her generating power for an attack but had to stop her.

"What are you doing?! That is a Gargantuan! It is a summons of the Witch Doctors!"

"Just look at it. It's not attacking us so there is no reason for us to attack it."

Li-Ming did as he said and saw that it was making no move for an attack; it was just staring at them which was still a little unnerving. This creature is _very_ intimidating, not just its height but its large fangs and multiple eyes along with arms the size of tree trunks that reach the floor while it still stands. Li-Ming would rather get rid of it now than have to worry about it later, but she stayed her hand only to see what the man she just met would do next.

"What are outsiders doing within the Teganze while the Igani Bawe is being waged. This is _no_ place for you! If you value your lives you will leave this field of battle immediately!"

The man that came out from behind the Gargantuan could only be described as aboriginal. He is a dark skinned man with a thick accent that originates from this region, he is barefoot and he is in a crouched stance on bent knees. He is garbed in his own native armor which appears to be carved out of wood and bone with large horns sticking out from the mask that covers his face and great purple feathers crowning up from the top of his mask. In his left hand he holds a metal ring adorned with feathers and spikes but the most notable piece was the red demonic looking hand hanging from the ring with a light green gem embedded into the base of its wrist (Wilken's Reach). His right hand was holding a unique ulu knife with a dark handle and a long base that looked like it had fire carved into it (Rhen'ho Flayer).

"Why did you attack us?" Li-Ming said with a little edge to her voice.

"I thought you were of the Umbaru. Outsiders do not come this far into the Teganze Region and I only wanted to stop any further bloodshed of my people."

"Is there a war going on?" Naruto asked.

"No, not war like that which harbors your thoughts, but foolish ritualistic combat. The Igani Bawe or Harvest of Souls is a battle in which those who are defeated are captured and willingly give themselves up for sacrifice to appease the spirits of Mbwiru Eikura."

Naruto had an incredulous look on his face and replied. "There are people _willingly_ sacrificing each other?!"

"I have heard rumors of 'honorable' sacrifices occurring in this region; it is part of the reason I came here to the Teganze, the home of the Umbaru Witch Doctors. I wanted to witness their powers for myself, something that very few ever have. I only have a limited amount of knowledge of the skills of Witch Doctors and wished to expand that knowledge for myself." Li-Ming said.

The Umbaru native took no offense to the curiosities of an outsider and felt he should enlighten her to his people's ways. "There is no honor in their sacrifice, my former brethren are misguided and will not listen to reason and break this bestial tradition. The spirits have told me the truths of Mbwiru Eikura and their sacrifices serve no purpose to them."

"That's the second time I heard you say that phrase mbiro-something, what is that exactly?" Naruto said.

"Mbwiru Eikura, is the term the Umbaru use that translates to the Unformed Land in the normal tongue. The teachings of the Umbaru tell us that the Unformed Land is the true reality that is hidden from us, and that only through sacrifice may we enter the true world. But I have spoken to the spirits of Mbwiru Eikura and they have told me that the Unformed Land is the place all Umbaru enter when their lives come to an end, and the sacrifices they make are unnecessary."

"So in other words this Unformed Land is the afterlife of your people, and the sacrifices that are made only serve to speed up the process of death. We should do something about this, it isn't right that your people are ending each others lives before they had a chance to really live."

"It is a hopeless cause, they will not listen, especially to an outsider such as yourself. I have tried to make them understand but I was banished as a heretic for defying the will of the spirits. All Witch Doctors of the Umbaru can connect with the spirits of Mbwiru Eikura but they have yet to truly listen, it is only in death that they will discover their folly and come to understand sacrifice is not the way."

"Don't worry, _nothing_ is hopeless and they have never met me before, so leave it to me. I'm Naruto Uzumaki by the way, a wandering sage. What would your name be?"

"I am known as Nazeebo, the Heretic Witch Doctor, formerly of the Tribe of the Five Hills."

"I am Li-Ming of Xiansai and former student of the Yshari Sanctum of Caldeum, a pleasure to meet you Nazeebo."

"It is well to meet you two also. But you must understand that the traditions of the Umbaru remain deep in their spirits, there is little chance..."

All three warriors began to hear the faint beating of drums and chanting off in the distance and it steadily grew louder and a great trail of red smoke could be seen rising to the sky. Li-Ming was the first to voice her thoughts.

"Hmm, red smoke? Could it be an emergency signal? Well, that is no normal fire, but at least it shouldn't mean a village is burning or something."

"No, that smoke represents the flames of Te Wok Nu'cha, or The Final March. It is the ending ceremony of the Igani Bawe. Their sacrifices have already been made, I could not stop them. I failed." Naruto could hear the grief in Nazeebo's voice, he knew what he had to do but he had to hurry.

"You two get to that village as fast as you can! I'm going on ahead!"

Without another word Naruto was gone. After realizing what this new stranger had said, Nazeebo wanted to dissuade him from doing anything reckless but he was gone before he could say anything. Li-Ming said nothing but soon followed after at her top speed, teleporting forward as often as she could to catch up with him. After a brief moment Nazeebo followed suit, and living in this terrain for so long, he wasn't very far behind.

* * *

(Tribe of the Clouded Valley)

Naruto arrived at the center of the tribe's village within only a few minutes, he was not going at his full speed because he didn't want to ruin the landscape or their homes. He saw the tribe performing their ritual, some were chanting while others were placing organs in clay jars to use as offerings around the great pyre. He took notice of the dead bodies on the altar, there were five of them. He could still see the steam rising from their wounds, they have not been dead long.

Naruto sprung into action before anyone took notice of him. He leaped high into the air throwing four kunai in a square around the altar. Each kunai had a sealing tag wrapped around the handle and as he was falling inside the square he went through hand seals activating a light blue barrier that formed a pyramid around the altar. This was a space barrier that places everything within the barrier on a separate plane from its original. He really created this in order to trap something he could not think of right away on how to deal with, if such a situation ever arose. But instead he was using it to place himself on a separate plane along with the sacrificed bodies.

The Umbaru Witch Doctors and fellow tribesmen were shocked that someone would disrupt their ritual, to them it was a great dishonor to interrupt the Te Wok Nu'cha. They immediately tried to attack this man but the barrier he put up was impenetrable to the Witch Doctors' strongest attacks. Many things were thrown at him from darts, to undead dogs clawing at the barrier, bats summoned out of nowhere continuously bombarding the wall, even summoning circles glowed under the barrier but nothing could enter.

Nazeebo and Li-Ming arrived at the tribe just in time to see all the attacks on the barrier fail and as the attacks died down they could see Naruto standing still until suddenly he burst into a beacon of golden light. They could not sense anything from him but they both instinctively knew that this was something of great magnitude. Li-Ming and Nazeebo were able to get a clear view as the whole tribe stopped to stare at something they have never seen a man do before. His entire form was bathed in a golden fire and black markings they have never seen before appeared all across his cloak.

Naruto was glad that his barrier idea worked because he didn't want another incident to happen like the first time he went into Six Paths Sage Mode in this world, not but fifteen minutes ago. Five chakra arms immediately sprouted from his back and attached to the abdomens of the five dead Umbaru warriors, he just hoped he wasn't too late. Slowly, to the astonishment of everyone there, the wounds on the bodies began to heal with no scarring, and their abdomens looked like they began to fill in with the few organs they were missing. It took several minutes and Naruto stood still as he concentrated to revive these people, and one by one they began to open their eyes and breathe much to the horror of everyone around them.

Now, Witch Doctors and the Umbaru are no novices when it comes to bringing back the dead, they actually have quite the knowledge of summoning spirits and the dead to fight for them. But those that they summon always remain dead and look the part as well. The people this man revived looked to be in perfect condition; they had no scarring, no decaying flesh, no shrill growling, or the look of hunger in their eyes. They looked exactly how they would have been when they were alive.

Once Naruto felt the life return to the once dead bodies, he retracted his chakra arms into himself and stopped the flow of Six Paths Sage Chakra. He took notice that two of the former sacrifices had to have been Witch Doctors themselves because they still had on their own elaborate garb like Nazeebo, with their own unique masks and armor. One was a man and the other was a woman, the other three had no masks and just looked like warriors but not in the same class as a Witch Doctor.

Naruto hoped what Nazeebo said was true and that at least the Witch Doctors could shed some light on the others. ' _It is only in death that they will discover their folly and come to understand sacrifice is not the way._ '

Li-Ming could not deny her own astonishment as she saw the barrier drop and the sacrifices rise. She looked closely at the five who were revived and could see no traces of control put over them, they all looked confused like they just woke from a trance. She knew that any master mage who revives the dead will always maintain control over them, they will not remember themselves or have any sense of individuality, but she detected no such controlling magics from them, and the aura of death that surrounds the revived dead was non-existent.

Li-Ming stares at Naruto intently, ' _This man truly_ is _interesting. My mind tells me to be wary of him, but my instincts tell me I can trust him. I am no fool to give my trust so easily, but I will definitely be sticking around you for awhile, Naruto._ '

Nazeebo had his own similar thoughts to Li-Ming. Witnessing his fellow Umbaru being revived and maintain their own sense of self and still in control was something he has never seen before, and by the looks of the entire Tribe of the Clouded Valley, they have never seen anything like this either. Once Nazeebo saw the masks of the two revived Witch Doctors he immediately recognized the mask of the male Witch Doctor and was shocked to even think that he fell in battle. This was Enobakhare, the spirit father of the village of Tiklan, who donned the mask of the Tiklandian Visage. He was a fierce warrior and has made many sacrifices in the Igani Bawe.

Naruto stood in front of the five revived warriors waiting for them to come to their senses. The two Witch Doctors were the first to stand up in front of him still trying to make sense of things. They were dead, they had finally become one with Mbwiru Eikura, they made contact with the other spirits of the true realm but this time everything was clear. Whenever they communed with the spirits when they were alive they could never hear clear voices, it always came in pieces or in broken symbols. But when they died they could understand and see everything, but the messages they were given were not what they were expecting.

They were first met upon by past loved ones and tribe members who were sacrificed in battles prior. They began to tell them that the Igani Bawe was all for naught and the Unformed Land wasn't such the peaceful afterlife they sought for. Not only that but all souls were welcomed into the Unformed Land, and to really drive the message home they saw those who were banished as heretics, and old legends of the Umbaru, who were given the greatest respects, confirmed everything that was said. All the bloodshed and sacrifices were for nothing, it was extremely difficult to accept. Then they felt a pull on their spirits that was taking them away from the Unformed Land.

When the two Witch Doctors began to awaken, their eyes were initially blurred by a golden figure standing before them until the light faded away, but the figure remained in the same spot. As they began to stand the figure who was now coming into view spoke to them.

"How does it feel to be alive again? I wasn't really sure I could revive you, you were all dead for several minutes, and I was glad they hadn't removed _too_ many of your organs yet. That could have been a problem."

The figure whose voice was so unfamiliar and had such a foreign dialect finally came into view and they were stunned by how young this man looked because they knew he was the one who revived them. There was no deceit in his voice and their rival Umbaru that surrounded them made no claim to state otherwise.

Enobakhare spoke for them. "Who are you?"

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki, a simple wandering sage." Everyone there could testify that he was anything but simple. No one made a move to stop him because they wanted to see what would come of this. The Umbaru Tribe of the Clouded Valley were curious as to what someone as well known as Enobakhare could have seen in Mbwiru Eikura.

"I am Enobakhare of the Clan of the Seven Stones. Why did you revive me and my tribesmen?"

"Because it wasn't your time yet, you and your fellow tribesmen have yet to see the true wonders of life. And also, I want you to do something for me."

"What is it you would ask of me?"

"I want you to tell me what you saw and what you heard when you were in the Unformed Land."

Enobakhare immediately figured out what this sage really wanted him to tell everyone, so he was as blunt and truthful as he could be about it. "Igani Bawe is a lie."

The Tribe of the Clouded Valley was in an uproar, immediately calling him a heretic, until the female Witch Doctor spoke defending him. "It's true! I saw just as he did! Mbwiru Eikura takes all souls in her embrace. Even Benu the Doubtwalker was there, the one who slew Adiya the demon to protect your very own tribe!"

At that the high priests of the tribe grew silent, that incident many years ago was a tribe secret that they made sure no other tribe would know about. Benu was a rival Umbaru made to be a sacrifice but he defied the ritual and fought back until it was revealed that Adiya who was captured alongside him was a demon; he died protecting their tribe but killed Adiya as well. But because he defied the Igani Bawe they did not believe he could be sent to Mbwiru Eikura, and if a Witch Doctor from another tribe knows, then that could only mean that Benu was accepted into the Unformed Land.

"How can you know this! You _must_ speak lies! The traditions of the Umbaru have been so for generations!"

Enobakhare spoke to the distraught high priest. "I was just as horrified to learn this as you. For decades now I have made many sacrifices for the Igani Bawe and to see my own rivals and comrades tell me it was all for naught was... _is_ _still_ too much for me. But I cannot, nor _will_ I deny what my own eyes have seen!"

Nazeebo chose this moment to speak up to say his own piece. "What Enobakhare and our fellow Witch Doctor says is all true! I have been trying to get the tribes of the Umbaru to see the truth for years now. You all know as well as I that Enobakhare was a _firm_ believer in the Igani Bawe, and for him to say these truths now _must_ shed some doubt in you all as well!"

The Tribe of the Clouded Valley were skeptical of all this but could not deny Nazeebo's words. Nazeebo had once been just as prominent as Enobakhare and for two well known Witch Doctors and one other to say the same thing, must have some shred of truth to them. But their way of life has been hard wired into them so it was still something they could not fully accept.

The high priests and Witch Doctors of the tribe began to discuss this with their three rival Witch Doctors to try and find the truth for themselves. While this was going on Naruto was having a discussion of his own with his tenants.

' _What do all you guys think about this?_ '

' _That this world is really screwed up in the head and we should put them all out of their misery._ '

' _Not helping Shukaku!_ '

' _He's kinda right though, this world_ _has many problems and this isn't even what we really came here for. We didn't sense any kind of_ _true evil from th_ _ese_ _people_ _. The_ _ir_ _practices may be barbaric and unnecessary_ _but it is what they believed in for so long that it is not wrong to them, even the people sacrificed accepted their fate_ _with open arms_ _._ ' Kurama said.

' _I guess that's true, but they came to_ _regret their choice_ _when they entered their afterlife_ _and it wasn't what they expected, so we still need to help them. I won't walk away from this, and there are still other tribes out there that will still continue this_ _practice and cut their own lives short. There has to be some way we can convince all of them._ '

Saiken who has been quite all day had an idea of his own and voiced it to the others. ' _What about Matatabi?_ '

' _What about me?_ '

' _You had a connection to the afterlife in our world, maybe you can connect to the afterlife of this world and open a portal to this... Unformed Land place and they can_ _see for themselves._ '

' _I don't know if that would even work._ _T_ _he afterlife is different for every world,_ _and the god_ _of this_ _world's_ _afterlife_ _may not even allow me to connect with it. I could open the portal for_ our _world's afterlife because that world is a part of me and the Shinigami gave me that power, he has no sway over the afterlives of other worlds._ '

' _Still, that_ is _an idea. Thanks Saiken, I really think we should look into this. Those two Witch Doctors I revived had their minds opened when they were dead and came back, so this might be the only way to really convince them of the truth._ '

' _There is still another problem Naruto. Even if I managed to open a portal, if anyone other than you, who is beyond time at this point, enters the afterlife they will be killed. One thing I know for sure is that no mortals are allowed to enter the afterlife unless they are dead, and I am not sure how long I would be allowed to_ _keep it open._ '

' _Don't worry Matatabi I believe in you, I_ _know you can do it, and if the god of this world really wanted me to come here to help I'm sure we'll be given a little leeway for trying to save these people. And don't worry about them dying just making the trip there, I'm sure I'll be able to figure something out._ '

Naruto was brought back to the outside world by a tap on the shoulder and a hand waving in his face by Li-Ming. "Are you still there? You looked a little dazed for a few moments, like you weren't even here."

"Huh? Yeah, sorry about that, just a little drained from earlier and got lost in my own thoughts."

Li-Ming was a little skeptical on him being drained, he didn't look any worse for wear, and no signs of fatigue, but she ignored it and moved on. "So mister hero, what are you going to do about all this now? I don't think they are too convinced yet. You said you wanted to do something about this but changing an entire cultures' beliefs is no small feat."

"Yeah I know that, but I'm working on it. I might have a way to convince them but it's something I've never done before and I'll need some time to prepare properly. We'll need to gather the other Umbaru tribes as well. I want to try to convince all of them at once but I don't know if they'll meet peacefully if they are all enemies."

Nazeebo overheard their conversation and was curious as to what this strange man had in mind to truly convince the other tribes, and after his last comment Nazeebo felt he should correct the misconception of the tribes being enemies.

"That is not true at all, the tribes of the Umbaru people do not hate each other or even think of each other as true enemies. Once long ago the Umbaru were one people, but because of their beliefs in sacrifice their hearts became too heavy to continue sacrificing their own loved ones. So the three elder high priests made the decision to separate the Umbaru people into the Three Great Clans and begin the rights of Igani Bawe. That way it would be easier on their spirits to sacrifice those whose faces they do not know but still be at peace knowing they were sent to Mbwiru Eikura."

"That is just... poetically disturbing. Your people certainly have a strange history compared to most." Said Li-Ming.

"Yes, strange is an appropriate term." Nazeebo turned to Naruto with pleading in his voice. "If you can truly change the hearts of my people, then I implore you to do everything in your power to do so. This mindless bloodletting must be put to and end!"

"I plan to Nazeebo, but it will be easier if we can get the tribes to meet together in one place. If what I plan on doing works, I may have only one chance to do it. Do each of the tribes have their own Witch Doctors?"

"Yes, the tribes are led by the high priests who are the aged and withered Witch Doctors who have lost their connection with Mbwiru Eikura, but spread their teachings and ways to the young who have the potential to become the Witch Doctors of the future. The active Witch Doctors are the spiritual warriors and protectors who have not lost their connection and are still fit for battle. If anyone is to be convinced, it is the Witch Doctors. The Umbaru people and high priests will listen to them, but only if _many_ are of one mind. I could not convince my people because my fellow Witch Doctors did not share my beliefs, so I was banished as you know."

"Don't worry Nazeebo, they'll find out soon enough that you were right all along. Do you think you can set up a meeting with the other tribes?"

" _I_ can arrange this." Enobakhare came up to the group having heard the tail end of their conversation. "If I send my personal dogs to deliver this message, they will come. News of my capture and impending sacrifice will reach the other tribes for celebration before our message will get there and if my dogs are present they will know I still live and will want answers."

"That's great! How long until they arrive here do you think? And I also need to know how many of the Witch Doctors will be sent."

"All three tribes are a three day journey from each other. So it will take three days for the message to be delivered, and three days of travel back to the Tribe of the Clouded Valley after one day of preparation. So it will be one week before they are all gathered. I will tell my dogs to send the message to request that four Witch Doctors be sent from the Tribe of the Five Hills and only two from my Clan of the Seven Stones. The Tribe of the Clouded Valley will provide four of their own for a proper council of the tribes."

"That should be enough time for me to prepare. I'll find a place in the jungle to stay and make my preparations and will come back in one week." Naruto made his way to exit the village but was stopped as he was spoken to.

"Outlander." Naruto turned around to face Enobakhare who spoke to him. "Why do you risk yourself for our people? The only reason they do not attack you is because you have not raised a hand to them in turn, and your strange power frightens them for restoring missing organs and bringing back the souls of the dead into the living."

The entire tribe and the Umbaru who Naruto revived were looking on at the stranger who caused all this, wanting to hear his answer. Naruto gave them all a warm smile and looked straight into Enobakhare's eyes as he replied.

"It is painful to lose those who you love and care for, isn't it? When they die we harden our hearts and tell ourselves they are in a better place, and sometimes we want nothing more than to join them where they are. But I _know_ that all those who I have lost are looking down on me, telling me to continue living for them _and_ myself, and it's just not in me to disappoint them. I cannot say for certain but I believe all the loved ones and comrades all of you have lost want the same for _you_ , and I want you all to see this for yourselves. I will be back in one week so I can help put an end to all of this."

Naruto's words resounded throughout the tribe, it made them think about their loved ones and small slivers of doubt could be seen in some of their eyes. The golden light he emanated made them think he was some kind of holy man that served a higher power, they would never realize how close to the truth that was.

Naruto immediately began walking back into the jungle to find a place to set up a work space. He was not alone however as Li-Ming and Nazeebo joined him on his way.

"Well don't think you're going anywhere without me Naruto. You were certainly right in that if I stayed around long enough I would see something interesting, so I have decided to give you the honor of my presence!"

"I am _so_ honored to hear that Li-Ming. I guess I don't mind the companionship but I'll be pretty busy, so I probably won't be much for company the entire week."

"Oh I don't mind, I can entertain myself and keep busy for a while."

Nazeebo turned to Naruto and spoke as they continued their trek into the jungle. "I will accompany you as well, I am still known as a heretic to the Umbaru so I will not be welcomed there. But I must ask, what exactly it is you plan to do? What kind of preparations must you make for the council?"

"Thaaaaat's a _little_ hard to explain. I know we don't know each other very well, or at all really, but just trust me."

"Well, you could just kill them, let them stew for a few minutes and just revive them like the others and maybe they'll come to the same conclusion."

Both Naruto and Nazeebo gave Li-Ming a look, Nazeebo even with his mask still on gave off an aura of anger for suggesting such a thing and Naruto just gave her a deadpan look. Even though that was a probable solution it just wasn't something he would do and it would most likely anger the Umbaru people that an outsider killed their kin.

Li-Ming not perturbed by their looks in the slightest rolled her eyes and spoke again. "You two are no fun, it was only a joke."

"I prefer more of the 'ha ha' kind of jokes, thank you."

Nazeebo said nothing but looked forward as they went deeper into the jungle.

"Where exactly are we going anyway, do you have a hut nearby or something?"

"Nope, just looking for some dry dirt close to a source of water right now."

"There is a small plateau overlooking the river a little further south from here." Nazeebo pointed out.

"That should be perfect, let's go there. Also I've been wondering this for a while but, where did that big guy you were with go to?"

"I allowed him to go back to the Unformed Land until I call upon his aid again."

"Oh, well that's nice."

The trio made their way to the plateau Nazeebo spoke of and Li-Ming had to voice her concerns for the area they have chosen. "You know this is a jungle right? Sitting up on this rock will only get us drenched in the rain, there is no cover for us to stay in. I'm sure I remember seeing a cave somewhere along this river that would do much better."

Naruto looked towards Li-Ming and gave her a wide grin. "Don't worry Li-Ming, I've got it covered." Naruto stopped a few yards away from the edge of the cliff facing the river and turned around and went through hand signs. Li-Ming and Nazeebo did not know what to make of the strange hand signs he was making, they have never heard of anyone doing something like that in a rapid sequence.

When Naruto was finished he put his hands to the ground and a moderately sized house came from the ground much to the amazement of his two companions. They couldn't believe that something like this was possible, even Li-Ming who has vast knowledge of all types of magics around the world has never heard of magic that can do this. She was obviously the first to voice her observation.

"What are you?! Are you some kind of master druid or something?!"

"A what-now?"

"A druid, you have to be, druids are the only ones who are this close to nature, but even then I have never heard of them manipulating wood before, and they could never form the elements into such elaborate shapes either, they could only really direct the elements to form attacks or defenses. But it still doesn't make sense, what you did back in the village isn't something a druid could or even would do, they have too much respect for life to toil with the dead. And that barrier you made held up perfectly to the attacks of _Witch Doctors_ without any strain, not even the greatest of mages can create a barrier to withstand so many powerful attacks at once with so little time. You are something else entirely, but _what_ is something I intend to find out."

"Well, I'll definitely wish you luck on unraveling _that_ mystery, but don't stress yourself out over it if you don't get any answers right away. You two are more than welcome to stay here with me while I do my work, we'll each have our own rooms for privacy and I have extra bedrolls if you need it. Just let me know if you need anything and I'll see what I can do."

Naruto left it at that and turned around to walk through the front door and left it open for them to enter, it was their choice. Nazeebo was silent still but decided to follow him in, he had his own concerns about the man, but he was willing to help save his people so he would give him his trust for now. The power Naruto displayed just shows him how capable that man must be ' _perhaps he_ is _capable of saving the Umbaru._ ' Li-Ming was definitely going to follow him but she was still immersed in her own thoughts, the powers he displayed were astonishing and none of them were even offensive in nature, she was excited to see what he was capable of when attacking his enemies.

* * *

The week in the jungle went by relatively peacefully, all three individuals kept themselves busy. Nazeebo liked to meditate and perform small rituals in the mornings and evenings, and he took it upon himself to hunt and gather food since he knew more than the others what was good to eat and what wasn't in his native land. Li-Ming had gone out the first day to retrieve her belongings from a traveling pack that she had forgotten in her own small camp not too far away. She kept herself busy by reviewing the tomes she had collected and occasionally training in her magics, but she liked to sleep-in in the mornings since it had been a while since she had a comfortable place to sleep.

Li-Ming and Nazeebo weren't really sure what their companion was doing since he stayed in his room most of the time, but he did join them for meals and took occasional breaks. But the only thing they really heard from his room sounded like he was writing. After three days of being mostly shut in his room, Naruto asked Nazeebo for his help. It was at this point that he told his companions what he planned to do but he had hit a bit of a rough patch, and thought Nazeebo could help him.

"Okay, now I know this might sound a little weird but what I want to do is open a portal to the Unformed Land that you had mentioned, and let the Witch Doctors of the other tribes experience it for themselves and maybe they can finally understand what you have been trying to tell them for so long."

"Oh no, that's not weird at _all_ , because everyone wants to open a portal to the _underworld_."

Naruto looked over at the only female company he had and spoke with a flat tone. "Your sarcasm is duly noted Li-Ming, thanks."

She just gave him a wide grin and answered back. "Always glad to help."

"What you say is concerning, portals to Mbwiru Eikura are not to be opened by the living. The spirits are the ones who make contact with the Witch Doctors because of our acute awareness of the spirit world. Even among Witch Doctors very few can ever hear the spirits clearly but because they are our brethren they will come to our aid if we request it. What exactly do you believe I can aid you in?"

"Well I have the ability to open the portal but because I am not in tuned with the Unformed Land I can't pinpoint the exact portal to open, so I want you to try and channel some of your energy through me in the hopes that I will choose the correct one. I don't want to open the wrong portal and maybe unleash something we're not prepared for."

"Your abilities continue to impress me Naruto but after bringing back the souls of the dead I guess I'm not too surprised you can do this as well. But nevermind that, how do you know you won't unleash something anyway even with the right portal?" Li-Ming stated.

"Well, with Nazeebo here and the other Witch Doctors, when the time comes, we should be able to handle whatever may come since they would know about what lurks in their afterlife."

"I see... I will help you with this, and may the spirits of Mbwiru Eikura guide us."

"Okay, I just want you to put your hand on my back and flow some of your energy into me, I'll handle the rest."

' _You ready Matatabi?_ '

' _Of course, let's try this again._ '

Standing off to the side, Li-Ming observed as Nazeebo stood behind Naruto and placed his left hand on Naruto's back and observed for himself. From Naruto's left side Li-Ming could see that his left eye turned a shade of green and his pupil completely disappeared. Naruto, channeling Matatabi's chakra, raised his right hand, which long thin claws grew from, and brought it down as if he were cutting the air. They didn't believe anything happened but after a moment a thin tear could be seen leading to a void. He immediately clapped his hands together and slowly separated them to widen the void. It was working, but it was fighting against him and he was struggling to keep it open. After another minute of struggling he lost control and the void closed, sweat was running down his forehead and he was breathing heavily.

" _That_ went well."

"It did actually, that was the farthest I've been able to get so far, but I need to know if that was the place we are looking for." Naruto turned to Nazeebo to ask directly. "Did you feel anything from that portal, did it feel like the Unformed Land you spoke of?"

"Yes, I could hear the spirits clearly. They are ready to help our people, they know what we were trying to do and want to help us. They look to you to show the Umbaru the way."

"Hehe, that's great! We're on the right track, so we _know_ it can be done."

"Yes, that's all well and good, but will you be able to keep it open long enough for all this to be useful?" Li-Ming said.

"Yeah, if I use one of my other stronger forms I should be able to keep it open."

"You mean like that golden form you took the other day?"

"Kind of, but I don't think I'll need to go that far. I have a lesser form I can take that should be strong enough and if I need to I can take my higher form but like I said, I don't think it will be necessary."

"Whatever you say, does this complete all your preparations now?"

"Not yet, I still have one more thing I need to finish but I'll be done before the week is up. Thanks Nazeebo, you helping makes this a lot easier."

"No, I should be thanking you. I would have never thought a stranger would go so far for my people, if this should succeed, the Umbaru will be in your debt."

Naruto gave a wide grin for his gratitude. "No thanks are necessary Nazeebo, it's what I'm here for, to help."

"He is right though, we live in a cruel and heartless world. There are very few who would go so far for people they have never met, and I would know more about that than most since I have seen much more of the world than most."

"Well Li-Ming, if there's one thing you should know about me, it's that I can't walk away from someone who needs help. I just don't have it in me."

"That's good to know." Li-Ming gave him a demure smile and walked back into their temporary abode. ' _That's too bad, bleeding hearts don't last long in this world,_ _they will either ble_ _e_ _d dry or turn_ _as cold_ _and unforgiving_ _as the Dreadlands_ _._ '

* * *

It was the night before the three tribes would be meeting and all three inhabitors of Naruto's temporary house sat around an open fire pit inside one of the rooms where the kitchen was. They were all relaxing taking in the warmth of the fire. Nazeebo and Li-Ming did not have their armor over top their clothes and Nazeebo also was not wearing his mask nor Li-Ming her headdress being prepared for sleep soon enough.

Naruto also was no longer wearing his hooded cloak, but was now sporting a black cassock-like long coat with high collars that only buttons down to his waist and flaring open at the hips showing his orange pants and black shinobi sandals. It was pouring rain outside and was getting a little cold so the fire was a welcoming presence. They were in a comfortable silence until Li-Ming started a conversation.

"So Naruto, we haven't had the chance to get to really know each other. You know where we're from but where do you call home?"

Naruto spaced out for a few moments thinking about his home. He may only been gone a week but he will really never see Konoha again. Naruto came out of his daze and responded. "Sorry, it's just that I can't go home anymore so it's a little hard to talk about. But hopefully I can make a new home for myself someday."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories. I have a few of my own I'd rather not think about, please forgive me."

"No, no need to apologize, I have great memories of my home. It's just that I'll end up missing those I left behind too much and I'll just get lost in my memories and that will just distract me too much from what I'm supposed to do. So there's nothing to be sorry for." Naruto gave her a reassuring smile and turned to Nazeebo as he spoke next.

"Were you banished from your village as well? It does not sound like your home was destroyed and you only say you cannot go back."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head out of nervousness, he hoped they didn't pick up on that just yet but he didn't want to just blatantly lie about it either. "Yeah, my village wasn't destroyed… well technically it _was_ , but that was a long time ago and we were able to rebuild so not everything was lost. But I wasn't banished either, I just was sent on a journey that won't allow me to return home, it's complicated and it's not something I can readily talk about just yet, sorry."

Li-Ming gave a disappointed face and let him know. "That's too bad, I would have liked to hear more. But you said your village was destroyed, I could only imagine it must have been demons. It must have been traumatizing to witness something like that as a child, you must have been very fortunate not to have been killed yourself."

"My village wasn't destroyed by demons, but a single man claiming to be a god. It was kind of hard to argue with that because of how powerful he was. No one in my village could defeat him, including our leader and the many powerful veteran shinobi who were there."

"Shinobi? I've never heard of a people called that before, just what region do you hail from?"

"You're not more interested in the guy calling himself a god?"

"Oh, there are plenty of lunatics out there calling themselves god, especially when they first come into power and haven't come across anyone who could defeat them. It all goes to their head and think themselves invincible, but I suppose I'm also curious as to who defeated him if you say no one in your village could."

"Well, the..."

"Ba-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-ah."

All three occupants paused at hearing the noise coming outside their dwelling. Nazeebo appeared shocked at first but he and Li-Ming both took on hardened looks prepared for a fight but Naruto was a bit confused and spoke his thoughts. "Jungle goats?"

His two companions looked at him with questioning looks trying to see if he was joking but his face told them otherwise. Li-Ming asked suspiciously, "Do you really not know what goatmen are?"

"Goat _men_?"

Before anyone could answer him a blast was felt and heard against the outside wall of the kitchen they were in and could see the window had frosted over in ice. Soon after several thuds were heard against the wall and two spears crashed through the window flying between Li-Ming and Nazeebo heading straight at Naruto's chest, before they could hit he grabbed one in each hand, twirled them around in his grip and threw them back from where they were thrown from. The action happened so fast that Li-Ming nor Nazeebo could tell what exactly happened until they heard the gurgled cries of two goatmen dying.

They didn't need anymore prompting so Nazeebo and Li-Ming quickly grabbed their weapons and followed Naruto sprinting outside to find themselves surrounded by bipedal goats who seemed to be in an uproar about the two slain members of their clan. Naruto could only really see three differences among those that surrounded them, being their weapons of choice. There seemed to be over two dozen wielding axes, another dozen or so carrying quivers of spears, and only six were holding staffs. The goatmen with the spears were standing farther back as were the ones with the staffs but they were given a wider path in front of them to see their enemy.

After a few short moments of eyeing their enemy the goatmen began attacking in groups but they were soon easily dealt with by the three warriors who were certainly a class above their own brand of warrior. The goatmen with axes came rushing in to attack while the others threw their spears or launched orbs of ice from their staffs at the three where they would explode and cover anything in the blast with ice and freeze them temporarily.

Nazeebo immediately used Grasp of the Dead to take hold of a group of goatmen and while doing damage itself he shot out precisely aimed darts covered in poison causing heavy damage with the poison also killing the goatmen over a short period of time. After those were dealt with he turned around and looked like he started to breathe fire towards more incoming enemies, but if one looked closely you could see they were bats flying out covered in fire that immediately swarmed the attackers in front of them. The attacking bats were relentless and the swinging axes of the goatmen were basically useless against the swarming bats and they were killed after a few short moments.

Li-Ming summoned her own slowing spell in which she created a temporary black hole which did massive damage and pulled several charging goatmen towards it stopping their momentum and fired off magic projectiles causing more damage and finishing off several goatmen herself. She then conjured four orbs of purple energy that began to orbit a few feet around her and she continued her assault with her projectiles. With the orbs circling herself she didn't bother to put too much focus to her surroundings and any goatmen that tried to sneak up close to her were blasted away by the orbiting energy spheres.

Naruto hesitated at first once he initially saw the goatmen to closely observe them to study and memorize their presence. Even without sage mode he is aware enough of his surroundings that he did sense they were gaining some attention outside their little house but his range without sage mode is not as far and only sensed a few at the perimeter of his senses. However he initially thought they were just animals curious about the new dwelling in their land but as more and more came he sensed the blood lust and intent to kill radiating from them. He killed the first two who threw the spears mostly out of reflex and anger that his two companions were put in danger since the spears could have easily hit them instead, and then he rushed outside to soon be surrounded by their attackers.

Naruto's hesitance wore off immediately as they began their attack. He dodged the thrown spears easily and fended off the swings of axes and tore through them with kunai in hand killing one after the other with speed. He then felt the goatmen with the staffs building up energy and saw them launch large frozen orbs that rolled in a zigzag pattern towards their targets. He realized that those were what froze the side of the house and made six clones to intercept the attacks. As the clones took the attacks for himself and his comrades he launched six shuriken faster than the goatmen could react and pierced their skulls killing them instantly.

The few goatmen who were still alive were surprised that their shamans were taken out so quickly and easily. They became angered and sought to kill the one who took out their leaders and focused their attack on Naruto. Li-Ming and Nazeebo stood back wanting to see what their ally would do because throughout the short fight they were able to see some of Naruto's attacks and knew he could take care of himself but were also curious, especially Li-Ming, as to what else he was capable of. He actually kind of disappointed them, well Li-Ming mostly, since all they saw was Naruto using his martial arts and kunai to defeat them. Li-Ming wanted to see some more of his power but instead got a show of his physical capabilities which was really no fun for her.

Once the last of the goatmen was finished by Naruto he took in the bodies of the enemies that littered the ground around them and studied their features. He could only pity these creatures because while fighting them he sensed a tiny part of humanity within them and realized that they must have been human at some point but were transformed into what they are now. There was nothing he could do to help these creatures since their minds only had one set goal which was to kill. The hatred coming from them was strong and generalized, they wanted to kill humans without any real reasoning behind them, just an instinct to kill. There was nothing he could do but end them.

Naruto was taken out of his thoughts by Nazeebo who spoke. "We should hurry! The Tribe of the Clouded Valley could be in danger as well."

"Right, let's go."

All three companions immediately ran from the plateau in the direction of the village. As they were getting closer Naruto could hear and sense the fighting going on and created a small army of clones to spread out among the village to help. Nazeebo and Li-Ming wondered where Naruto got his power from because they have never seen a person create so many replicas of themselves, they first thought the six he made back at their camp to take the attacks for them was impressive but this was beyond extraordinary. The tribe of the village thought much the same as they saw over a hundred of the man who brought back the dead a week ago saving those who could not protect themselves and aiding their warriors and Witch Doctors from being overrun.

After several minutes of fighting, the goatmen were all dead and clones were either bringing back the wounded to be healed or gathering the bodies of the goatmen to be disposed of by the Umbaru. Thankfully Naruto and his group arrived and spread out before anyone could be killed and there were only minor or moderate injuries that could be healed by their medicine women. Naruto saw Enobakhare helping his brethren and ran up to him to speak to him. "What direction are the other tribes coming from? If this village was attacked then the groups coming here may be under attack as well."

He immediately answered fearing the same. "They come from the west and northwest of this village."

Giving a mental command to the clones who haven't dispelled, they split into two groups running in the two directions given to give aid if needed. Naruto kneeled in the middle of a small clearing in the village and placed a seal there that his clones would sense. Seeing this Li-Ming came up to Naruto to ask what he was doing.

"What is that rune you placed there? I don't think I'm familiar with those characters."

"It's a seal that I can use to mark a place that I can transport myself to in order to save time, but in this case it's for my clones in case they need to bring back any injured that need immediate attention."

"That's not possible, the ancient magics of The Order have been forgotten for nearly two-hundred years! The waypoints of the Horadrim are all that remain of the lost ranged transport spells. Only wizards such as myself know small scale teleport spells, but that is used primarily for temporary escapes, it is nothing like the Horadric waypoints."

"Well I don't know what The Order or the Horadrim are, or anything about their magics, but I learned about seals on my own initially but had some help later on, so this isn't really all that complicated to me anymore."

"The Order and the Horadrim are one in the same, they were founded by the Archangel Tyrael almost three-hundred years ago. How do you not know this? This is common knowledge especially for a sage."

"Where I come from I think a sage is something completely different compared to the sages you know. And I wasn't really one to pay attention to history class unless it involved some kind of fight or something not so boring."

"I really don't understand you, the more answers I get from you the more questions I need to ask."

Before Naruto could respond more than a dozen flashes of light appeared around the two and all of Naruto's clones were either carrying someone or just had a hand on a person's shoulder in order to teleport them to the seal he placed. The Witch Doctors who were traveling to the Clouded Valley came with other warriors of their tribe to ensure everyone was better protected. Only a few of the warriors the clones were carrying needed some medical attention but the others including the Witch Doctors all seemed to be okay.

Naruto looked at one of his clones with an annoyed expression. "I thought I said to use the Hiraishin only if they needed medical attention."

The clone responded to his creator with nonchalance. "Meh, this was easier."

Naruto dispelled all his clones and Li-Ming could hear him mumbling under his breath about 'damn smart-ass clones' or something, and she couldn't help but laugh at the amusing scene.

Once the confusion of being transported by the man who aided them and seeing they were in their rival's village, the traveling Witch Doctors of the other tribes converged on one another along with the Witch Doctors of the village they were in, to question just what was going on. After several minutes of discussion in which Enobakhare and his fellow revived Witch Doctor explained things, they all looked to Naruto who was joined by Nazeebo and Li-Ming to see what he had planned for them.

A female Witch Doctor of the Tribe of the Five Hills stopped in front of his group to speak. She was wearing mostly white armor with a human skull as a mask with a black mohawk and a large golden necklace hanging from it. She also had a small rope with skulls hanging from it in her left hand, and attached to her right hip was a large curved knife with a circular notch near the base of the blade (Starmetal Kukri). Naruto noticed that she was walking slowly and looked to have labored breaths, he couldn't help but voice his concern. "Are you okay? You don't look too good, you should get some help first. And it is late at night now, we should all get some rest and start our discussions in the morning." The Witch Doctor ignored his words and spoke.

"So you are the outsider that wishes to show the Umbaru the _true_ path. What do you think you can show us that will break our long standing traditions, you have no knowledge of the Umbaru. What makes you believe that you can interfere with our ways?"

"Because I believe it is the right thing to do. Sacrificing each other for the sake of gaining entrance to an unknown afterlife is no way to live. I have heard from Nazeebo here as well as the two Witch Doctors that I saved saying that the Unformed Land you seek is not what you are expecting. So if I can, I want to save as many lives as possible from meeting an early end. Everyone deserves a chance at happiness for as long as they can. And you didn't answer my question. You look like you are in pain, so you should be treated and rest before we continue in the morning."

"There is no need, we all wish to put and end to this farce as soon as possible there is no time for rest. And you need not worry about what ails me, my time is already near. I am rife with plague, but there is no need to fear, I and my brethren have created wards to keep what ails me from spreading."

Naruto concluded that her sickness is not something their medicine women could treat or cure so he decided to do it himself. He again threw his barrier kunai around himself and the Witch Doctor but this time Nazeebo and Li-Ming were inside the barrier as well as he activated it. The visiting groups who had not seen this became alarmed and wanted to attack fearing the outsider would attack one of their most prominent warriors but were held back by the home tribesmen telling them that it was useless to do so.

"What are you doing? Have you lured me here to finish me, I have already told you my time draws to a close. Killing me here means nothing in the end."

"No, I'm not going to _kill_ you, but _cure_ you."

"Impossible there is no cure for me. I have accepted my fate."

"Well I don't really believe in fate," _'even though the Child of Prophe_ _c_ _y was pretty much centered on me.'_

Naruto again went into his Six Paths Sage Mode shocking the Umbaru visitors but the rest of the home tribe was still in awe nonetheless. The other three occupants inside the barrier all felt the power wafting off of Naruto and were overwhelmed, but could feel that they were in no danger from him. Even though they knew they weren't in danger they were still rooted to the ground finding it very difficult to move.

Naruto walked up to the sick Witch Doctor and all she could do was look up to him as he reached a hand forward. She saw the look in his eyes as they held only kindness with no malice or ill intent, and as his hand reached her abdomen she could feel the warmth engulfing her entire body. The aches and pains she felt were melting away, the shallow breath of her lungs were getting deeper, and she could see the patches of skin that were once slowly decaying becoming healthy and blemish free, even some of the scars she had on her body were disappearing.

She could not believe what she was feeling. She was still a young woman and was expected to be one of the strongest Witch Doctors of the entire Umbaru who had yet to reach her prime when she came down with the plague only a few short weeks ago. She had thought it was over for her; her body was in constant pain and the elders of her tribe didn't want her to make the trip to the Tribe of the Clouded Valley but after communing with the spirits, she could hear them telling her to make this journey. She didn't believe that she would live long enough to appease her ancestors or create a family of her own; she lost hope that she would accomplish anything meaningful with her fading life. But this man standing before her with his bright power and shining kindness was giving back the once lost dreams she had for herself.

"Who are you?"

Naruto gave her a bright smile as he stopped the flow of natural energy and dropped the barrier, he could hear a sigh of relief from the two behind him and responded to the Witch Doctor in front of him. "I am Naruto Uzumaki, it's nice to meet you…?"

"… I am Zunimassa of the Tribe of the Five Hills. Before I came here, the spirits told me that I needed to make this journey, that I would meet the one who would bring great change to the future. The spirits said a man bathed in rejuvenating fires given aid by legendary leviathans would be the one to light the way… If you are the one to show the path, then I will put my faith in you."

Naruto could hear the prideful boasting of the Biju within him being called 'legendary', but focused his attention on the woman in front of him. "Thank you, all I want to do is help your people, I give you my word on that, and I never go back on a promise."

Zunimassa nodded her head to Naruto and she walked back to her fellow Umbaru Witch Doctors to tell them she would listen to what the outsider had to say. Because she was such a prodigious Witch Doctor she had a great respect of all Umbaru, and now that they have seen her cured of her illness they knew she would be amongst the strongest of them again and gave more credence to her words. They all faced Naruto once again ready for whatever it was he was going to show them.

Naruto walked up to the group and explained what he was going to do. "Okay, you all know why you are here but not what I'm going to do to help change your ways. From what I understand you all can communicate with the spirits of the Unformed Land but the messages they give you are not always clear to you. So what I am going to do is open a portal to the Unformed Land to allow you entrance so you can speak with your ancestors directly and come to your own conclusions."

Zunimassa still wanted to put her faith in this man but shared her hesitance. "Mbwiru Eikura is not a place for the living to cross, doing so would only bring us to our deaths that you yourself wish to prevent."

"I am aware of that, but I am also prepared for it as well." Pulling out the seals that he was working on over the week for them to see, Naruto continued his explanation. "These are seals that I have created that will prevent you all from being killed when you enter your afterlife. What these seals essentially do is separate your souls from your body but also create a tether to your body in which your souls will still be connected to as you enter the portal. This will ensure that once you have your answers you can find your way back to your bodies in the world of the living. I will hold open the portal for as long as you need until everyone is back in their bodies."

' _I really wish you didn't say you would keep it open for as long as they need Naruto.'_

' _Sorry Matatabi, but I'll be helping you the whole way. We can do this together, I know we can.'_ Matatabi was spurred on by Naruto's words and would make sure she gave her all in helping him.

Naruto instructed the ten Witch Doctors to sit on the ground as their souls would be pulled from their bodies which would be unable to move and placed the seal tags on the center of their backs. After that was done he stood in front, facing them and went through hand signs to activate the seals on their backs. When he was done the seals gave off a white glow and spread over their entire bodies. When the glow died down he could see the Witch Doctors' souls standing from their sitting position while their bodies stayed on the ground; the rest of the observers didn't notice any change except for the other Witch Doctors who are spiritually aware and not a part of the group of ten.

Naruto quickly entered his normal sage mode with his eyes tuning yellow with a horizontal bar for pupils and an orange pigmentation on his eyelids. It only takes him about a second now to activate and he turned to Nazeebo. "Okay Nazeebo, I'll need your help again, just like last time okay."

"I am ready." Nazeebo stood behind Naruto once again and placed his left hand on his back channeling his energy into him.

' _Let's do this Matatabi.'_

' _Right!'_

Everyone noticed Naruto undergo another change as his eyes changed color again, this time his entire right eye changed to a brighter shade of yellow and his left turned green while losing his pupils but the orange shade of his eyelids remained. Just like before, his nails grew long and thin on his right hand and he raised it up swiping the air vertically in front of him. When the rip in the air opened Naruto clapped his hands together and started to pull them apart just as the portal was doing the same in becoming wider. Once the portal was big enough Naruto indicated to the ten souls to enter.

Zunimassa was the first to walk into the portal and after a bit of hesitance the others followed. Naruto wasn't nearly as strained as he was the first time he opened the portal with Nazeebo's help but he still had to keep his concentration and waited patiently for them to find their answers.

After close to twenty-five minutes Naruto began to sweat a little but was fine nonetheless. A few more minutes passed by and the first of the Witch Doctors began to come back and entered their bodies again. Zunimassa was the last to exit the portal after another several minutes and Naruto was finally able to release his hold on the portal.

Naruto walked around collecting his seals from them and turned to face them again. "Did you find the answers for yourselves? What is it that you learned?"

Even though all of them had on masks or face paint at the least, Naruto could tell they were all shaken by the experience. They just learned that their sacrifices have been in vain. They have all lost family or cherished friends and have taken loved ones from others as well without it even meaning anything. It was devastating but also relieving because they were able to once again speak with their loved ones and rivals who told them that there was nothing to forgive and assured that they would continue to gain the aid of the spirits even more now if they put a stop to the Igani Bawe. They all expressed that what they wanted most was for the living to continue living for as long as they can and bring the Umbaru to new heights they have yet to reach.

The ten Witch Doctors were joined by Enobakhare and his fellow revived Witch Doctor coming together with the other two of his tribe to meet in a full council of the tribes with all twelve members to discuss what they have learned and what is to be done. They all went inside a hut reserved for the council and after about two hours of discussion they all exited the hut to speak with the high priests and the rest of the tribe.

Zunimassa once again spoke for the council as they were all in agreement, but she directed her answer to Naruto since he was the one to lead them all to this conclusion. "The Igani Bawe must be put to rest. We all have made a grave error in judgment, but now we can hear the spirits of Mbwiru Eikura more clearly than ever. They wish for the Umbaru to unite once again as one people and build a legacy we can all be proud of. No more will we shed the blood of our brothers and sisters, but we will continue to grow as one people and help each other instead."

The Umbaru people and high priests were all still surprised by their answer but could not deny it as truth since the entire council was in agreement and if they include Nazeebo as he was once, and still is, a prominent Witch Doctor, it gives their conclusion even more credibility.

Naruto was happy that they all came to the same conclusion and it showed on his face as he spoke to them. "I am glad to hear that, I really am. I always believed that those who have passed before us want us to continue moving forward and grow stronger. I learned a long time ago in my youth that one can only become truly strong when they have something precious to protect. From that point on I have lived my entire life by that philosophy and I will continue to do so. I would say that the future looks bright for your people if you are the ones protecting them. All of you have a strong determination and it will be to your benefit in the future."

"The Umbaru are in your debt Naruto Uzumaki. You have given us a brighter future and a new hope to look forward to, and I thank you personally for ridding me of my blight. I had lost hope in my _own_ future as there are many things that I wish to experience that I feared I could not do before, but you have renewed my faith and for that there are no words to express my gratitude. Ask anything of me, and if it is within my power, it will be done."

Naruto smiled at her gratefulness but shook his head and answered her. "I didn't do any of this for a reward Zunimassa. No thanks are necessary but it is welcomed all the same. All I want is for you and your people to find happiness for yourselves and live a peaceful life. As long as you all can do that I will be in _your_ debt."

"Your selflessness is truly humbling."

"Thank you, but it is really late now, I think we all need to rest and be ready for a new day."

"Yes, the entire council must make our journey to the other tribes to relay our decision. _All_ Umbaru must know the truth, and if I may ask one more request of you."

"Of course, if you still need help I'll do what I can."

"If you can make the journey with us to reinforce our standing with the other tribes, it should help ease the transition of this new development."

"Absolutely, if you think it will help I'll do whatever it takes."

"Thank you once again, Naruto Uzumaki."

"Your welcome Zunimassa."

Naruto and his group were welcomed to stay in the village and a small family with more room in their hut brought them with them to sleep the rest of the night. The people of the tribe were very appreciative of him and his little group for coming to their aid against the goatmen and welcomed him, Li-Ming and even Nazeebo with open arms to stay with them. Zunimassa and the rest of the traveling Umbaru were given the hut the council took place in to sleep for the night.

Naruto was truly happy that he could impact a people so deeply and change their lives for the better, especially in just his first week in a new world. He knew it would just get harder from here or maybe it would be easier. He always thought fighting was much more simple than diplomacy. Yeah it would get easier, he hoped.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: I got another chapter ready for you all, hope you enjoy it. As any of you Diablo fans will notice is that I have not yet gotten to the storyline of the game and this is mostly all me writing an original beginning for Naruto. I probably won't get into the actual storyline of the game for another couple of chapters because I want to introduce new characters. Hopefully when I get into the Diablo III storyline I'll be faster with updates because I really want to finish this story for myself and all the fans, but I don't want to rush it either and get sloppy.

Thank you again for all the favorites, followers, and reviews it is much appreciated.

* * *

Chapter 3

After a day of rest, Naruto and his group began to help repair the damages to the village of the Tribe of the Clouded Valley by the goatmen. Since the tribe was more than happy to allow Naruto and his group to stay in their village, Naruto returned to the temporary house he made on the plateau in order to retrieve his supplies as well as the forgotten armor and anything else left by his two companions. After dispelling the house he created he returned to the village to continue helping with anything else they may need of him.

Naruto spent time with the people of the tribe and was quite popular with the children after seeing his strange powers. Whenever he wasn't busy he would play with the children and tell them stories of his own adventures, they were always happy when he could spend time with them. Li-Ming also spent time in the village dispensing her own knowledge of the world to the young who have yet to venture out on their own. She even gave current maps of Sanctuary just so the young men and women could see how big the world is outside the Teganze Region. Naruto's group was only able to stay a few days before the council decided it was time to travel to the next village to make known their decision. Suffice to say the children were sad to see their new friend go but he made a promise to visit them all again.

Before they left he also made sure to heal anyone in the village who had any debilitating injuries or deadly illnesses. The entire tribe was indebted to their blonde hero and claimed him to be a Spirit Brother to the Tribe of the Clouded Valley, meaning that he would forever be an ally of their tribe and will always aid him if he seeks help. Naruto was truly thankful for this honor and claimed he would do the same if they ever needed his help in return. He left the Hiraishin seal in the same clearing in the village his clones used before and explained to the tribe that if they were ever in an emergency to channel some of their energy into the seal and he would come to help them at any time.

Naruto, Li-Ming, and Nazeebo traveled with the council to the next tribe on their visit and headed toward the tribe of the Clan of the Seven Stones to the northwest from the Tribe of the Clouded Valley. On their journey there they had another run-in with some goatmen but with such a group of highly skilled Umbaru warriors, thirteen Witch Doctors, an incredibly capable wizard, and Naruto, the goatmen never really stood a chance and their journey was only impeded temporarily. After their short encounter with the goatmen, the group decided to make haste to the next tribe and began moving faster than their normal leisurely pace.

Naruto could feel the worry emanating from the Witch Doctors and other Umbaru warriors but he could tell it was more than just the safety of their village they were worried about, so he decided to ask Nazeebo about it while they were running through the jungle. "Hey Nazeebo, why do you all feel more alarmed than what I feel you should be about the goatmen, is there something else troubling you all that we should know about? Because even Li-Ming doesn't seem all that surprised about them but you all are giving off a deeper vibe of concern than I would think."

"The Khazra, or goatmen if you prefer, were once of the Umbaru people many ages ago. But they were turned into the beasts you have seen today by evil mages who corrupted them using demons."

"So it was the Umbaru they used to create an army. All these generations and we had no idea where they had taken the people from to create the goatmen." Li-Ming having heard their conversation spoke then, giving her own insight on the matter.

"What do you mean Li-Ming, you know who did this to their people?"

"Yes, it was the Vizjerei, the ancient mage clan who were the first to summon demons over three-thousand years ago. It wasn't until the Mage Clan Wars, about fifteen-hundred years ago, that the goatmen were created by summoning demons to possess humans. I had just never known what people they used to do this."

"It was the Umbaru who were turned into the Khazra, but the Khazra eventually drove out these… Vizjerei, but they became week-minded and were fully corrupted by demons and forced into servitude. It was the Witch Doctors who, after years of torment, eventually rid the Teganze of the Khazra. That is why my people and I are so concerned right now, we have thought to be rid of these beasts for over a millennia. To see them now must mean that demonic activity is on the rise again which is not good for anyone."

"That is indeed troubling news, but goatmen have been seen widely in the western kingdoms. So that is why I wasn't really surprised at seeing them since I have seen plenty of them before in my travels. I just thought they were as common in this region as well."

"I am afraid not, the Umbaru of today only know the Khazra as part of our history, and this is the first that the current age of Umbaru have seen of them."

"That is really bad, is there anything we can do about it now to stop them?" Naruto asked and Li-Ming was the one to answer.

"There really isn't much we can do. The portals from hell can be opened nearly anywhere on Sanctuary, and the only way to stop them is to kill the ones who open them. But it will be difficult to find out who opens them because it could be anyone from powerful demons or humans themselves who still practice demonology."

"You mean the Vizjerei you were talking about before are still active after all these years and still summon demons?"

"No, after the Mage Clan Wars ended the Vizjerei vowed to never toil in demonic magics again and instead promised to vanquish demons. And even though they were once the most powerful of the mage clans they are still active today but will probably never be trusted by the people again. They even tried to recruit me into their ranks but I refused, not wanting to be associated with them or with _any_ mage clan really. They all just came with too many rules for my taste. So that's why I set out on my own, I didn't want to be bound to any clan and be forced to live by their rules."

"Haha, a free spirit. I like that."

Li-Ming gave Naruto a wide grin. "Why thank you. I enjoy the liberated feeling as well."

The trio grew silent ending their conversation. This was definitely troubling news to hear but there wasn't much that could be done about it now. If the portals could be opened anywhere then there weren't any preventative measures they could take. They would just have to endure the attacks until they got to the heart of the matter firsthand, but there was no telling when they would get close to finding those who could open the portals or for what reasons.

* * *

Over the next two weeks Naruto and his group visited the other two Umbaru tribes alongside the council and continued running into goatmen along the way. Naruto impacted the other tribes much in the same way as the Tribe of the Clouded Valley. He helped them fend off attacks from the goatmen, he helped rebuild any damage to their homes from the attacks, and he also treated any serious injuries or deadly contagious illnesses to give members of the tribe an equal chance at living with their loved ones.

When they arrived at the first village on their journey, the Clan of the Seven Stones, Enobakhare was the one to speak to his tribe and tell them the decision of the council. As expected the tribe was shocked at their decision but after hearing the experiences of the Witch Doctors firsthand they slowly began to accept their proclamation. It would only take time for them to adjust to the new lifestyle but many of the young non-combatants were honestly glad for this, especially the many women who were mothers and feared the warriors life for their children.

The Clan of the Seven Stones gave much thanks to Naruto for helping them with the Khazra and curing their diseased, but especially for reviving Enobakhare and his fellow Witch Doctor and tribesmen, and for that they too named Naruto Spirit Brother to the Clan of the Seven Stones. Naruto was glad to have that honor again and he created another Hiraishin seal near the center of their village and told them the same thing he told the Tribe of the Clouded Valley about what it did and how to use it.

A few days after their visit to the Clan of the Seven Stones the groups made their way to the last village, the Tribe of the Five Hills. It was a little awkward for Nazeebo to see his old tribe again and he would not enter until they were informed of the council's decision. Zunimassa was once again the one to deliver the message to her own tribe and they all couldn't help but be reminded of what Nazeebo tried to tell them several years ago. Naruto and Li-Ming stayed with Nazeebo outside of the village to keep him company and to wait until the tribe was finally informed.

A little over twenty-five minutes later the trio was approached by a young Umbaru woman who had a few pieces of armor on her with face paint, and Naruto got the feeling that she was most likely a Witch Doctor in training since she seemed very young, probably in her early teens. Nazeebo however knew exactly who she was and he couldn't help the pride and happiness that came to his heart at seeing his only family he had left in his younger sister. "Lakumba, it does my spirit good to see how you have grown, and you have taken to your training well it seems. I always knew you had great promise to become a Witch Doctor, I could not be more proud."

Nazeebo was not prepared to have his little sister rush to embrace him as a pool of emotions he had once forgotten overtook him. He immediately dropped his weapon and mojo to the ground as he removed his mask and returned the embrace of his sister. "Brother! I am so sorry! You did not deserve this, I wanted to come find you but I was not strong enough. I could hear the spirits telling me the truths of Mbwiru Eikura but I feared no one would listen since I have not yet taken the trials. I missed you so much, I needed your guidance." Nazeebo's little sister was in tears by the end of her words unable to contain her emotions.

"Y-you can already hear the spirits?! I always knew you would surpass me one day but this… this is unprecedented."

"But I did not have the courage to fight for you, I could have…" Nazeebo loosened his embrace to hold his sister at arms length in order to look at her face.

"No, do not concern yourself with such things, only the council would have any sway over the tribes. You did what you had to do and I will not fault you for such things. Even if you can hear the spirits clearly you are not ready to be out on your own if the tribe had banished you as well. I did miss you as well dear sister, I am just glad you are safe and in good health."

"I am glad you are also well brother. Is this the man who showed the council the truths of Mbwiru Eikura?" Lakumba looked towards Naruto indicating him.

"Yes. This is Naruto Uzumaki, the man to show the Umbaru the correct path. And this is Li-Ming she has also given her aid to the Umbaru against the Khazra and has shared her own wisdom as well. My companions, this is Lakumba, my young sister, the only family I have left." Nazeebo introduced his fellow travelers and little sister to each other.

"A pleasure to meet you Lakumba. Always glad to see a fellow woman well on her way to becoming superior to their male counterparts." Lakumba gave a small laugh and Li-Ming snickered at her own veiled insult but neither of her companions were really perturbed by it. Nazeebo couldn't be more proud of his sister and Naruto could always respect people with natural talent, gender be damned. He knew plenty of women in the Elemental Nations who were way more powerful than most men not to mention the Rabbit Goddess who gave him some of the most trouble in the war.

"It's very nice to meet you Lakumba. I'd just like to say even if you have a greater gift than most, never stop trying to improve yourself. I have known a few prodigies myself who thought they could get by on talent alone, but if you keep working hard and never give up, you'll be capable of things not even you yourself could have thought possible."

"I am very grateful to meet the two of you as well, and I will surely take your words to heart Mister Naruto."

"Just Naruto is fine Lakumba, mister makes me sound old."

' _Pfft, you_ are _old you brat._ '

' _Zip it furball! You're even older than me!_ '

' _And proud of it! Us Biju have no shame for our ages. Only you humans are vain enough to care about that._ '

' _That's because humans have a finite lifespan!_ '

' _Well that's not our problem is it?_ '

' _Just shut up!_ '

' _Don't listen to Kurama Naruto. If you want to think of it another way you could be considered a baby immortal._ ' Isobu said trying to be helpful but instead he just made it worse.

All the Biju couldn't hold their laughter after hearing that because in terms of being an immortal he is not very old at all. He could actually still be alive in his world without his immortality and to the Biju who have lived nearly a thousand years Naruto is basically like an infant to them and it was just too good not to poke fun at him.

Naruto was just standing there with an annoyed expression and a twitch in his eye from his Biju companions mocking him. But to Lakumba and the others around him, it looked like he was really upset about being thought of as old and Lakumba couldn't help but giggle a little at the amusing expression on his face.

"Haha, very well Naruto. Please come brother, everyone in the village anticipates your presence and wish for your forgiveness. They also wish to meet your two compatriots who have helped our sister tribes. They especially want to thank Naruto for curing Zunimassa, everyone was overjoyed that she is no longer in danger of meeting with the spirits prematurely."

Naruto and Li-Ming followed Lakumba and Nazeebo into their village and both could tell that Nazeebo was a little apprehensive of seeing his tribe once again on better terms. The feelings of the tribe were mostly of shame and regret for banishing one of their most proficient Witch Doctors and the high priests could not apologize to Nazeebo enough but he didn't hold it against them and forgave them to ease their minds. It was a happy reunion for Nazeebo to see his fellow tribesmen, they all gave him their apologies and thanks for continuing to help their tribe by finding the one to enlighten them.

A great feast was made that night in celebration for their new peaceful beginnings and to Naruto for guiding them, they also celebrated the return of their lost brother Nazeebo giving him high praise, and they also celebrated the renewed life given to Zunimassa. She was a very beloved member of their tribe, so seeing her in greater health really gave rise to their spirits and they also gave even more thanks to Naruto because of it. And it went without saying that the Tribe of the Five Hills also made Naruto a Spirit Brother of their tribe, and Naruto made the same Hiraishin seal for their tribe to use if they ever need help again.

After another few days of staying in the village and helping fend off more attacks by goatmen, it was time for the traveling Witch Doctors of the other tribes to return home, and it was also time for Naruto to continue on his way as well. In the morning of a new day the council gathered again before their departure to say their farewells and to make plans to meet again to discuss the future of the Umbaru. Naruto, Li-Ming and the rest of the Tribe of the Five Hills came out to see them off as well.

It had been agreed the night before that Naruto would use the Hiraishin seals that he left in the two other villages to transport the traveling council members, with their only being eight in total, because of the increased danger that the returned goatmen represented. It was decided when the council first left the Tribe of the Clouded Valley that they didn't need any more warriors to come with them since there were already so many Witch Doctors and so the other warriors from the Clan of the Seven Stones who accompanied the Witch Doctors initially, also stayed in their tribe when it was time to move to the last tribe on their journey.

When they were ready Naruto made two clones and told the two groups that all they had to do was place a hand on their bodies and the clones would transport them to their tribe. Enobakhare and his group all placed their hands on either the clone's shoulders or back and the other group of Witch Doctors did the same, and in an instant the two groups were gone. Naruto turned to the tribe to say his own farewells because he needed to move on to see who else he could help next.

"Well guys it's been fun getting to know everyone and helping you all out, but I'm afraid that this is where I must depart as well."

Much of the tribe was sad to hear that, especially the children who Naruto had become popular with again. Naruto gave the kids a bright smile assuring them that he would visit again. And knowing that Li-Ming was most likely going to accompany Naruto as well, had a few of the younger men who developed somewhat of a crush on her sad to see her go but were grateful for the knowledge of the outside world she had given them. Li-Ming being her playful self gave them her own bright smile and waved her goodbyes to them and the rest of the tribe.

Zunimassa approached the two to send them off and give her final thanks. "Sage, Naruto Uzumaki and Wizard, Li-Ming, you two have the gratitude of all Umbaru and will forever be welcomed among our tribes. Naruto, there is nothing the Umbaru can give you that can be great enough to compare to what you have given us. You have saved our people, cured our sick, rebuilt our homes and village, and have guided us to the right path, but your unending kindness is what I will remember the most. All I can assure you is that all Umbaru shall pray to the spirits for your safety and well being in your travels. You will forever be in our hearts, Spirit Brother of the Umbaru."

""Spirit Brother of the Umbaru!"" The entire tribe chanted as one to show their support and faith in Naruto. Naruto could not be more honored by their gesture and he gave them all a deep bow to show his thanks in his own way.

Nazeebo made his way out of the crowd and approached Naruto and Li-Ming. "To show my own gratitude on behalf of the Umbaru, I will continue to accompany you on your journey, if you would have me."

The crowd was shocked at Nazeebo's declaration and some felt shame rise up again thinking he has still not forgiven them for their betrayal. None were more upset than his sister who had finally got her brother back. "Brother! Why?! Why would you leave now, are you still upset with the tribe?!"

"No, I harbor no ill will towards our tribe and I am truly happy to be accepted back by all of you."

"Then why?"

"I had visions from the spirits last night as I slept, and they have told me to follow this man. Many Witch Doctors can feel a deep foreboding of the future coming from the spirits, the Khazra returning to the Teganze is one sign. I believe it will only get worse from here, and the spirits tell me that this man gives hope to our future and I will not allow him to fight alone. I will fight alongside him and with me I will carry the will of the Umbaru to see that our world is saved."

"Brother… but…"

"If Nazeebo wants to come with me then I have no problem with it, his help is more than welcomed. I promise you this Lakumba, you _will_ see your brother again, I'll make sure of it. I'll be sure to bring him back to your tribe in one piece."

"I… I see, then please have a safe journey and keep each other safe. Goodbye brother."

"Goodbye Lakumba, I will return to you and I want you to take this. It is the key to our mother's wardrobe which contains her own legendary vestments. I want you to continue your training to grow stronger and only take up her armor when you are ready."

"I will brother, I promise I will become stronger and work hard everyday."

"May the spirits guide you little one."

"May the spirits guide you brother."

After a short embrace between the siblings the group of three were seen off by the tribe with loud cheers wishing them safe travels and the three waved back to them as they walked away into the jungle.

* * *

A few hours later the trio were still traveling through the jungle but Naruto's two companions had no idea where he was going. Nazeebo wasn't bothered by it since he fully put his trust in Naruto and would follow where ever he leads but Li-Ming would prefer to know where she was going so she could better prepare herself.

"So Naruto, where are we headed exactly if you don't mind me asking." Li-Ming has had her suspicions of Naruto for a while now, because it seemed to her that he had no knowledge of Sanctuary at all, not even the basic knowledge of demons or history. She wanted to know just where he would lead them to and had a feeling that he would finally give an acceptable answer if her suspicions were correct.

"Well I was thinking we go west and cut through the Marshlands and get a boat ride to the Skovos Isles or something, probably head to Philios first and see what's there." Naruto couldn't help but give himself a mental pat on the back for paying attention to the little lectures Li-Ming gave to the young Umbaru about the world he is in, which he found out is actually called Sanctuary. He also got a good look at the maps she made for the tribes and memorized the major bodies of water and land masses as well as some major cities she made note of.

' _I knew it! You could pretend all you wanted that all your attention was on those small children, but I could tell you had one ear open while I was teaching the young, ignorant Umbaru about what they should know about the world._ _Just what are you and where do you come from? It's possible you have amnesia and have lost all your knowledge but_ _you told us you have memories of your home and I wouldn't believe_ _you had amnesia_ _anyway_ _. You are too sure of yourself to have lost any memories._ _But l_ _et's see how you handle_ _your_ _little oversight._ '

"Well that sounds like a splendid idea! It's just too bad there are no boats on the west coast of the Marshlands, since the only settlements there are far to the north at the strait of the Twin Seas or all the way to the south at the cape of the Sea of Light, but you knew that right?"

' _Well_ s _hit, I walked right into that one.'_

' _You sure did Naruto-kun, I like this woman. She is cunning and shrewd_ _just like a cat_ _, and she is probably just as smart as your Nara friend. Her intentions have been very clear you know, she has been keeping a close eye on you._ '

' _You're right Matatabi, I haven't given her enough credit, b_ _ut lucky for me I'm known for thinking outside the box._ '

"Of course Li-Ming, but I never said we needed to _hire_ someone to give us a boat ride now did I? I'll just create my own boat!"

"Of course you would, how could I ever forget your _mastery_ in carpentry?" Li-Ming said sounding a little perturbed by his response, she thought she could catch him off guard but it seemed he had an answer for everything.

"Haha yup, piece of cake. We'll get there in no time! All we have to do is get through the rest of this jungle and cross the Marshlands to the coast and I'll make us a boat to get to the main island of the Skovos Isles."

"Well do you think we could speed this up a little, I'd rather not have to spend any more time than I need to in these jungles. No offense Nazeebo."

"None taken, if you would like, perhaps I should lead the way. I know swifter pathways through the jungle that should see us out of here a few days faster than our current pace."

"Please do, I think you are more than qualified to show us through here since this is your homeland. Unless our fearless leader has any objections."

"Hey, I'm not a leader of anything. I don't have a problem with you two joining me on my journey but I don't think I'm any more important than either of you, so don't go thinking you have to do what I say or anything. So there is no problem with Nazeebo leading the way out of here."

"Well I'm glad you think that way Naruto and respect us enough to see us as equals, because if I wouldn't listen to my teachers before than there's no reason to believe I would listen to you any better. However, I'll admit that your words carry more weight than my past teachers since they were all idiots."

"You should really show more respect to your teachers you know. I wouldn't be where I am now if it wasn't for those who were willing to teach me what I know."

"Oh I would give them the proper respects if I didn't basically teach myself everything I know. Most of the things I learned from the tomes at the Yshari Sanctum could barely be understood by my so called teachers. Everything just came naturally to me whereas others struggled for years to understand their studies. There is only one I would give all my respects to, my first and only _real_ teacher, the one who started me on my path to magic, but she is no longer among the living."

"I'm sorry to hear that Li-Ming. My own Master was taken from me early in my life and he couldn't be there to see me master many of the techniques that he should have rightfully taught me himself, but I know that old perv is proud of me for what I have accomplished."

"Hahaha, talk about showing the proper respects yourself Naruto, calling your own master a pervert."

"You guys have no idea, that man was a shameless pervert and he openly admitted it himself! I can't tell you of all the times I had to pull him away from his peeping on hot springs or all the times he was beaten when he was caught."

"Ugh! How utterly despicable, if he were to have ever peeped on me, I would have been sure to destroy him completely."

"That's a little harsh, don't you think?"

"Absolutely not!" Li-Ming then looked at Naruto suspiciously with narrowed eyes. "You know, they say the apprentice always follows in their master's steps, so does this mean you are a peeping tom yourself? Hmm, does it Naruto?"

"What?! No, of course not, I've never peeped on anyone!"

' _Well, except my wife, but that doesn't count! And she knew I was there so there wasn't anything wrong with it anyway._ '

"Hmm, well you be sure you keep it that way, or ELSE!"

"I got it! I got it! Jeez, I almost forgot how scary women can be."

"And don't you forget it either."

"(sigh) Nazeebo can you just lead us out of here already."

"I was just waiting for you two to finish your little lovers quarrel."

"Hmph, as if I would ever! The very nerve, Nazeebo!"

"Hahaha, please forgive me. It has been some time since I have been with companions for so long. It is nice to be able to enjoy traveling with others again."

"Hehe, no worries Nazeebo, I almost didn't think you had a sense of humor beneath that mask of yours!"

"Well, I don't really have much of one, but I just couldn't resist the easy opening."

"But at least you still know how to have fun!"

"Let's just get on with this already. I still want to get out of here quickly and I think a good run will do us all some good."

"Very well, follow me and let us be swift."

The trio of travelers ended their conversation and began running in pace with each other through the jungle on their way to the western coast of the Marshlands. They took occasional breaks for rest or to eat, or to fight off various predators of the jungle, but they continued on at a steady pace until night would fall and Naruto would create another temporary home for them to rest in. Although it was never said out loud, all three companions were quite glad for the company they shared. They all know how difficult it can be to travel alone and they were grateful for the camaraderie.

* * *

It only took the trio about a day and a half to get through the jungle and about another two days to get through the Marshlands and onto the coast where they would travel over the ocean to get to the island of Philios. They didn't have much trouble to deal with but a few overzealous predators that thought they had an easy meal but were instead turned into a meal themselves.

Naruto also made sure that they had enough supplies such as food and water before they made their journey over the ocean and sealed them inside his sealing scrolls so they wouldn't be burdened with carrying everything. Li-Ming and Nazeebo were certainly curious about that particularly new development and after a short explanation about the scrolls, the two did not hesitate to ask Naruto to seal away a few of their own items so they could carry less weight themselves. Naruto had no problem with it and gave them their own scrolls to seal their belongings in. He had developed a way for others without chakra to use sealing scrolls years ago since he figured the people from the new worlds he would enter wouldn't have chakra of their own, but he decided to only give them to people that he could trust.

The group of three were now upon the coast of the Marshlands overlooking the ocean before them, ready to begin another leg of their journey. Naruto was excited to begin this part of their trip because he wanted to see a new country with a different civilization; he was curious as to what kind of people he would encounter this time. He loved the Umbaru people, they were very honest and simple but also proud and fierce warriors that have learned to hold onto and fully protect their own with his guidance. Now he wanted to see what these new people would show him, and if they needed his help too, he would give it freely. He was also pretty excited to make his own boat too, he has never made one before so this would be a new experience for him.

"Well there she is, the great ocean blue! We can finally set sail to a new destination and see what awaits us. Let's do this!"

"Someone's a little excited aren't they?" Li-Ming said with an amused expression as she and Nazeebo watched Naruto run off onto the beach like a child on a sugar high.

"Yes, it is good he still has his enthusiasm."

"Ha! I don't think that's something we have to worry about him losing any time soon."

"Indeed."

The two followed Naruto's direction seeing him going through his hand-signs again and watching as he started to create a boat for them to cross the ocean over. When they reached his location and stood next to him when he finished they both had perturbed expressions adorning their faces, and Li-Ming voiced her thoughts in a dull tone as she stared at Naruto.

"No."

"Huh?"

"No."

"No what?"

"I am not sailing across an ocean in a row boat!"

"What? Why not?! It'll be fun, I can make oars for all three of us and we can work like a team crossing the ocean. It'll be so cool! We'll be like explorers searching for a new land!"

"There aren't any new lands you dolt, everything on Sanctuary has already been discovered! Stop messing around and make a real boat!"

Naruto couldn't help but start laughing and rolling around in the sand at their expressions. He knew Nazeebo was put off by the small skiff too with his body language and thought it would be fun to mess with them a little, even _he_ wouldn't use a row boat to cross an ocean. After a few minutes he got up and wiped his eyes since he was starting to cry from laughing so hard, and could see that Li-Ming's face just looked annoyed now.

"Are you done yet?"

"Yeah, I'm good. Well, everyone can hop on now."

"What?! This isn't funny Naruto! I will _not_ get on that deathtrap!"

"Relax, I only need to get us a few yards out into the ocean so I can make the real boat, or do you think making a beached one right here is a good idea."

"Oh, well that does make more sense now, glad I thought of it!"

"Sure you are."

After Li-Ming and Nazeebo got on, Naruto pushed them out onto the water and used a long branch he found to push them into deep enough waters so he could make a boat that would be safe enough for them to travel in. He only had to place his hands onto the floor of the small boat and pump more chakra into it as he let his imagination do the work in creating the boat. The wood started to expand and reached a length of about sixty feet and then started to engulf the trio until they were surrounded by wood all around them even over their heads. They were in complete darkness until candles started to light up the narrow hallway that they were standing in.

"Well, let's start the tour from the inside first since we're already here."

The inside of the boat had separate rooms for them like his houses but they had bunk style beds built into the walls with a rail board in front to keep them from rolling off. Each room was a decent size, not too small or too big, and they had their own desk built in with drawers for supplies and built in dressers for clothes and they each had a circular window so they could view the outside from their rooms. There was also a kitchen in another area that was big enough for the three to cook and eat comfortably in, Naruto also made two separate bathrooms for men and women just to be courteous to Li-Ming.

"Thank you for the separate bathroom Naruto but _why_ couldn't you make bathrooms, with showers no less, in your other houses, hmm?"

"Well those were just temporary and for sleeping, so I didn't feel they were necessary."

"Well it would have been _nice_ don't you think?!"

"I don't mind bathing in the river, it's natures bath. You should enjoy it Li-Ming!"

"Whatever, how did you even get fresh water to run through this thing anyway."

"It's because I'm a sage and it's a part of the nature of my chakra. I can manipulate and create the elements with my energy, and this entire ship is made from my chakra, so my energy is already continuously flowing throughout the entire boat which is generating the water to run in the bathrooms and kitchen."

"I have still never heard of a sage that can do these things, there are no sages out in the world that are like you."

"Well that just makes me all the more awesome doesn't it?"

"I think someone could use a lesson in humility."

"No worries Li-Ming, I've been humiliated plenty of times!"

"I don't think we're thinking of the same thing Naruto."

"Do you think we can continue our tour to the outside of the ship now and get on with our journey." Nazeebo finally spoke up not wanting his two companions to get into another squabble and waste more time when they should be moving forward with their travels.

"Of course! Let us see the outside of my amazing ship!"

The three then moved up the stairs at the end of the hall to walk out onto the deck of the ship. There wasn't anything too elaborate on the outside of the ship, it looked like a normal cog class ship that Naruto had seen before in the Elemental Nations. It has a single center mast with two square sails on it to pick up the wind and a cargo net that leads up to the crows nest on the top of the mast. There was stairs on either side leading to an upper deck at the rear of the ship where the helm to turn the rudder was and a wooden railing all around the ship to keep anyone from falling off. Overall it was a nice little ship that wouldn't draw too much attention to itself.

"I have to say Naruto I am quite impressed with your work."

"I agree, it is a very nice vessel indeed."

"Thank you! It's the first time I made a boat actually. I don't think I did too bad myself. Well, let's get to it!"

After his last remark, Naruto made a small crew of shadow clones to man the ship so they could get moving. He had experience working a ship from helping the crews of other boats when he was on several different missions in the past from the Elemental Nations, so it was simple enough for the clones to work together without much direction. Without further delay they all set off heading west to the island of Philios as their next destination.

* * *

The voyage for the three was an easy one that only took them another three days with slow winds, since the coast of the Marshlands they left from was fairly close to the island of Philios. It was about mid-morning and the clone in the crows nest announced that he could see the outline of the island in view of his telescope and they should make landfall in a few short hours. Naruto and the others were on the deck of the boat just taking in the scenery around them as they awaited to finally reach the island.

"Although the boat ride was comfortable enough, I can't wait to be on land again. I actually haven't been to the Skovos Isles and have wanted to come here for quite some time, so this will be something for me to look forward to." said Li-Ming.

"Is there anything you know that you can tell us about this place Li-Ming?"

"Well, from what I have read in history books, the Skovos Isles are home to the Askari, which is a matriarchal society that is home to the Oracles and Amazons. It is a dual monarchy ruled by two queens."

"Two queens? Do you mean…"

"No you pervert, they each represent the two major castes of their society, the Amazon warriors and the mystic Oracles. Men are a part of their society and can hold any number of positions within their community but their voices hardly carry any weight and they can never hold any of the highest offices of their government. Do you see now why I've wanted to come here for so long, the beauty of a society ruled by women must be absolutely heavenly."

"I'm sure it's something alright. How about you, you excited Nazeebo?"

"It is always good to gain new wisdom through experience. I look forward to the knowledge this excursion will bring."

Naruto and all his clones manning the ship suddenly stiffened in their posture or stopped what they were doing which did not go unnoticed by his two allies as Li-Ming voiced their concern.

"What is it Naruto? What's wrong?"

"You ever get the feeling that something bad is about to happen."

"Sometimes, but not always."

"Same."

"Well, I just got that feeling and it's getting worse. So, you should probably brace yourselves cuz it's gonna get a bit rough pretty soon."

"Wha…" Li-Ming could not finish her sentence as giant columns of water started to shoot up on either side and the front of their boat that completely towered over them.

* * *

(Several minutes earlier: Temis, capital city of Philios)

Running could be heard down the halls of the great palace heading in the direction of the throne room of the two queens of the Skovos Isles. The two queens, Xaera and Celestia, were in a meeting with their Generals and Priestesses when they heard the rapid footsteps climbing the stairs leading to the open entryway to the throne room. They saw one of their warriors run up the throne to kneel before her two queens and speak to them.

"My queens! It is just as Queen Celestia foretold, our scouts have spotted a ship off our eastern coast within the Black Waters!"

"And the ship is not of the Askari sort."

"No Queen Xaera, the ship is not of Askarian design, it looks more like the vessels of those of the kingdoms to the north."

"It seems that crew must have not been given the news of the recent dangers to our eastern waters." said Queen Celestia.

"That or they chose to ignore the warnings. Either way, it is of no consequence to us, but I want our scouts to be watching everything that happens to that ship. If we can find any weakness to try and deal with this new calamity, I want it found!"

"Yes Queen Xaera, it shall be done!" With that the Askari warrior immediately departed the throne room to deliver the queen's orders.

"It is an unfortunate fate that could have been avoided for these people, but all we can do is pray that their deaths are swift and our Goddess Athulua watches over them."

"Celestia, can you use your scrying pool to show us what happens to this ship? I would like to see for myself what weaknesses I can detect in this thing firsthand."

"Yes, I can do this if you wish."

"Thank you. All of you come and observe as well so we can try to come up with a plan to finally end this."

""Yes my Queen!""

* * *

"What the hell is that?!"

The giant columns of water fell back into the ocean to reveal a large amount of thin deep red tentacles of a giant squid that wanted nothing more than to destroy the ship and consume the inhabitants within.

"If I had to guess, someone just released the kraken on us."

"I can see that, Naruto!"

"I was just answering your question. You don't have to bite my head off."

Nazeebo, being the more well grounded of the trio decided to cut off any further arguments since there was something a bit more pressing at the moment. "Now's not the time for bickering, we must focus on survival now."

"I just don't see how we can survive something like this out on the ocean, we are at a clear disadvantage, especially if the ship is destroyed."

"As long as we work together we'll make it through this. I won't let anything happen to either of you, I promise, we'll be on that island just in time for lunch!"

Li-Ming, Nazeebo, Naruto and his clones all took up defensive positions to fend off any attacks. The tentacles of the creature began to wrap around the ship to hold it in place and use the other free tentacles to start hammering the ship with blows to break it, however the creature had some trouble with that. The group of warriors and clones took action before any real damage could be done to the ship and the clones focused on blocking the blows of the tentacles before they could hit the boat but the blows to the clones had enough force to dispel them fairly quickly.

Li-Ming started off by summoning a lightning hydra on the waters to begin electrocuting the tentacles on the port-side of the ship, while she fired a ray of frost that began to temporarily freeze the tentacles as they tried to move away. The lightning hydra that she summoned is a three headed water dragon that rose about eight feet above the surface of the water that launched bolts of electricity from their mouths dealing heavy damage to the creature. Li-Ming's ray of frost did do damage to the tentacles but she was only trying to slow them down, so she would move the beam to different tentacles in order to keep them from moving too quickly so her hydra could focus on causing more damage. Her hydra also gave off constant waves of electricity so it was saving itself for the most part by keeping the tentacles at bay.

Nazeebo summoned his own creature, on the starboard side of the ship, inside a pool of piranhas that he called a bogadile, while he himself began to fire off flaming skulls that would bite onto a tentacle and explode in a shower of fire. The bogadile was essentially a giant 30 foot crocodile that began to swim around his side of the boat biting off chunks of the tentacles of the giant squid but the squid was still massive compared to the bogadile so it only slowed it down so much. Fortunately the bogadile was strong enough to escape from the tentacles by barrel-rolling and using its sharp scales to tear through its grip but the flaming skulls that Nazeebo was launching at the tentacles were not quite doing the damage that he would expect, which Naruto would voice soon enough.

Naruto himself was not idle as he, at the front of the boat, simply took out his trench knives that he started to use a long time ago just as Asuma once had. He imbued the knives with wind chakra and began hacking away at the tentacles, both up close and from afar by firing off wind blades, easily cutting through them with no problem. However, one problem did arise, in that as soon as they were cut off they began to regrow within moments so his plan wasn't really working as well as he hoped. But another problem presented itself when tentacles in two groups of three began to come together generating power at their tips aiming towards Naruto. Naruto could feel the heat coming from the tips of the tentacles and had a guess as to what would happen next.

"Um, Nazeebo, I don't think your exploding skulls will be too useful against this thing anymore."

"Why is that?"

"Cuz I'm about to get roasted myself pretty soon."

As soon as Naruto said that the tentacles launched two streams of fire towards him but he was already prepared and was doing the necessary hand-signs while he was talking in order to summon up a water wall to defend against the fire attacks, and it held up like he needed it to.

"I see, I suppose my firebombs aren't very useful against this creature."

"Don't worry about it Nazeebo, Naruto wasn't exactly _cutting_ it either."

"Oh, ha ha, very funny Li-Ming. All you're doing is stunning the thing and just keeping it from moving."

"Well lightning should be very effective against water monsters okay! This thing is just stronger than I anticipated!"

"Riiiight."

"Just shut it. I can't see the body of this monster so it must be directly beneath the ship. I don't see what else we can do from here, the tentacles can regenerate, it isn't weak against fire and lightning isn't too effective either and it's protecting its body by using the ship as a shield. It seems like we are at an impasse for the moment because I don't know how long the ship can hold out but jumping into the water is just suicide at this point. We are in a losing battle, Naruto."

The trio kept on fighting and not really getting anywhere. Nazeebo switched to launching his poison darts since his firebombs weren't doing enough and his other attacks didn't do so well on water. But while they continued fending off the tentacles Naruto was pulled into his own conversation in his head.

' _We all know you can finish this quickly Naruto. Why beat around the bush so much?'_

' _I know that_ _Shukaku_ _, but I told myself before this journey, that I wouldn't just take over all the fighting on my own all the time. These people need the experience themselves in order to grow and get stronger. There will be bigger and harder fights ahead of us so it's better if they push themselves hard now while I can watch over them.'_

' _I agree with Naruto,_ _this world will become stronger if its own warriors learn to push themselves beyond their limits. Him being here to watch over and defend them will ensure they survive and become stronger for it.'_

' _Thanks_ _Chomei_ _, that's exactly what I want for them. I can't be there all the time so they need to fight through this while I can be there.'_

' _Well that's all well and good but I think you're gonna have to take over pretty soon brat.'_ Before Naruto could question Kurama, he just felt what his long time partner felt and voiced his concern out loud.

"Oh shit."

"What? What do you mean 'oh shit?' Don't say that. That's never a good thing to say, so why are you saying it!"

"Um, nothing, just don't look behind the ship in the next ten seconds. Shadow clone jutsu!"

Everything paused for a few moments, even the tentacles they were fighting off seemed to take a breather as the trio and new set of clones looked to the rear of the ship as more columns of water pierced the ocean but this time revealing giant dark green tentacles towering over them. They were now surrounded on all sides as their fight continued to look bleaker and bleaker by the moment.

""Oh shit."" Even Nazeebo knew that this was as good as an 'oh shit' moment as you can get, and voiced it along with Li-Ming.

"I can smell the poison emanating from this new foe, so I am afraid that I once again will not be of much use against this creature either. Please forgive me for failing you."

"You didn't fail Nazeebo, you're not alone here, so don't take this burden on yourself. I couldn't do much better myself, I am simply not strong enough yet. It was wonderful meeting the two of you, and I would gladly be able to call you friends, something that I never had much of until now. I had fun on this journey as I hope you two have as well."

"Yes, you two are important allies of mine as well that I would call friends with great pride."

"Hey, hey, hey! Don't go talking like these are your last words or something! Didn't I give you two a promise already, and you should know that I never go back on my word!"

"How can you say something like that now! Can't you see how hopeless..."

"Stop right there! I also told you that nothing is hopeless either before didn't I! I know you have a lot of questions surrounding me Li-Ming and after this you're definitely gonna have more, and I'm sorry that I'm not ready to speak on those matters yet, but you _will_ survive this, both of you! I made your sister a promise too Nazeebo and I intend to keep it."

After Naruto's words, Li-Ming and Nazeebo watched as he sprinted towards the left side of the ship only to jump off and dive into the depths of the ocean. They ran in his direction and stopped at the rails to look as they tried to stop him.

""Naruto!""

"What is that idiot thinking?!"

"… I … I think we should believe in him. After what he has done for my people, I have given him my complete trust. So I will trust in him now as well."

"That moron better survive this!"

* * *

Naruto dove deep into the dark waters but could still see clearly the two giant squid that surrounded his boat, both of them had their giant eyes locked onto him as he dove deeper into the waters. Naruto knew from the beginning that these creatures were not natural, he didn't need sage mode to feel the demonic energies coming from them, and they looked demonic as well. Both of these demonic squids had multiple eyes instead of the natural two that normal squid have as well as way more tentacles than the norm. Their heads also had many jagged spikes jutting out from them and a single giant horn growing from the center of their heads up along its entire length that looked like a curved blade. Naruto could also tell that they were feeding off the negative emotions of his companions which is why they waited so long to resume attacking but he would soon make sure they regret giving him the time he needs.

' _I didn't really want to reveal you guys in your natural forms so soon but this is just too good an opportunity to_ not _show off. So, Gyuki, you wanna help me out with this one? This seems like it would be your area of expertise.'_

' _I am not some slimy squid! I am an oxtopus!'_

' _I thought you were an octobull?'_

' _B said oxtopus flows better.'_

' _He_ would _say something like that. But anyway, come on! Let's show these two wannabes who the true king of cephalopods really is!'_

' _Very well, I have been wanting to stretch my legs a little bit. Let's put on a show.'_

' _Let's make it one Killer B would be proud of!'_

' _Yes!'_

Naruto allowed Gyuki's chakra to flood his system to go straight into a full transformation revealing Gyuki in all his glory to the two giant squid who had enough intelligence to realize there was a real threat to them since Gyuki was close to twice their size in mass, but only had him beat in length but not by much. Naruto created a clone to let his friends believe he only summoned Gyuki but then let him take the reigns since it has been a while since he has been in a fight and he was honestly looking forward to it.

* * *

Li-Ming, and Nazeebo could still see nothing below the depths of the waters but could only look on in concern, waiting for their friend to hopefully put an end to this nightmare somehow. They didn't need to wait anymore as 'Naruto' broke the surface of the water and climbed back onto the boat.

"You idiot! (slap) Do you have any idea how frightened you made us? What were you thinking diving down there? You're gonna get yourself killed!"

"Well he only likes to be summoned underwater and he would have crushed us if I did it on the boat so… yeah."

' _God I'm lucky that slap didn't dispel me._ '

"What are you talking about, what did you summon?"

The boat was suddenly jerked to the side, as if the currents were sucking them in, but only for a moment as the boat was pushed back as the two red and green squids were seemingly launched out of the water in the direction of the right side of the ship. They ran over to the starboard side to see the still airborne monsters crash back into the ocean creating giant waves that threatened to capsize their boat, but before the waves could hit them a new creature rose from the dark waters shielding them from the waves.

They first saw a giant flesh colored horn rise in front of them followed by a second broken one revealing a giant head facing away from them, it continued rising to the surface to show a human like torso with two human arms and eight octopus tentacles breaking the surface of the water. As Gyuki turned to face Naruto's allies he could feel their fear rising again as they saw another giant sized monster before them. Li-Ming and Nazeebo were taken out of their terrified states as the bull octopus creature spoke to them.

"Do not fear me. A friend of Naruto's is a friend of mine. I will protect you all until my dying breath!" Gyuki turned away from them to intercept a stream of fire and a stream of poison directed at him from behind and fired his own larger stream of ink that completely engulfed their attacks and drowned them out. Gyuki then moved away from the ship to reengage his opponents.

"That creature just talked to us didn't it? I wasn't the only one to hear that was I?" Li-Ming was still in a daze not quite believing she was still alive, she became more alert when 'Naruto' started to answer her.

"Of course not Li-Ming, that was Gyuki, and he would never hurt any of you. You'll definitely be safe here okay, just leave it to him."

"What? What is that thing, where did it come from, why is it fighting for us, how does it know you, what is going on?!"

"I told you, I'm not ready to talk about these things just yet, I need more time."

"Zunimassa."

"What is it Nazeebo, do you know something?"

"Not particularly, but I remember something Zunimassa said. She said the spirits told her that ' _a man bathed in rejuvenating fires given aid by legendary leviathans would be the one to light the way._ ' This must be what she meant, this must be the legendary leviathan that gives you aid!"

"Yes, I remember that now too, but she said leviathan _s_ meaning plural, so there must be more than one who can come to help you! Just what are you, Naruto?! Now that I am more focused I can't sense any demonic presence from this new creature so you didn't summon a demon. But where did it come from, and how, and why, and what others are there?"

"..."

"We should respect his wishes that he does not want to speak of these things for now, I believe he has earned that right?"

"Thank you Nazeebo."

"Grrrrr, fine! I'll leave it alone for now, but I'll find out eventually!"

"Shit! He's using that here! Quick, secure the ship!" Nazeebo and Li-Ming quickly looked over to see the fight of giants only to see that the octopus creature had its tails wrapped around itself making a dome shape that began to rapidly start spinning as it sunk into the ocean creating a whirlpool that the boat they were on would eventually be sucked into as well.

"What is he thinking, he's gonna get us all killed!" said Li-Ming.

"Don't worry, we'll get it under control!" 'Naruto' and all the clones jumped off the ship to stand on the water as they each placed their hands on the boat and created wooden chains that were attached to the boat as they began to pull it out of the range of the whirlpool. Naruto got the idea of chains from his mother, and he tried to form them on his own like she did but he didn't have that ability so he decided to use his wood; it worked, but it would probably never be as good as his mother's.

* * *

As soon as Gyuki overpowered the two attacks from behind with his ink, he immediately moved forward and away from the ship to fight the demonic squids. The squids tried to use their speed underwater to try and cut open Gyuki with their blade like horns and spiky heads to cause damage, but Gyuki's thick skin remained undamaged. Gyuki grabbed the two by their tentacles as they made another pass to try and cut him open and pulled them in towards him and punched them both with his massive fists that sent them flying out of the water again and skip along the surface of the ocean.

The two squids prepared a combination attack in which they intertwined their tentacles together and fired a giant stream of green fire towards Gyuki. Gyuki could have dodged but if he did the attack would have headed straight for the ship so he curled up his tentacles around him to create a defense against it. As soon as the attack died down, leaving only a few singes, Gyuki remained in his curled up form and began to spin rapidly while descending into the ocean, using his Tailed Beast, Eight Twists, to create a giant whirlpool.

The giant squids tried to swim away but the current was too powerful and they were sucked into the swirling waters at a very high velocity unable to escape the whirlpool. Once Gyuki had the two right where he wanted them he rose up into the center of the whirlpool and twisted his body in the opposite direction of the water with his arms sticking out while yelling out his attack. "Tailed Beast, Double Lariat!" Right after he announced his attack each squid crashed into one of his arms below the center of their heads which basically bisected them as the tops of their heads flew into the sky and a rain of blood and entrails fell into the ocean, it was a gruesome sight.

' _Wow Gyuki, that was brutal. I didn't know you had it in you.'_ said Kokuo.

' _Yeah! Show them how we Biju roll! The bloodier the better!'_

' _Speak for yourself Shukaku, only you, Kurama, and maybe Son would fight that ferociously._ ' said Saiken, not liking the thought of trying to be that gory on purpose. Some of their attacks will admittedly turn out gory like his own acidic attack but it's not like he enjoys the outcome all the time.

' _I won't argue that.'_ said Kurama

' _As long as it's a worthy opponent to die by my hands.'_ said Son Goku.

' _I didn't really think they were that fragile, they took my earlier punches well enough, but a win is a win, so I'll take it.'_

' _Hey, go get those horns from their heads. I think a win like that deserves a trophy, but their heads are too ugly so the horns should be good enough.'_ Naruto said wanting those giant horns just because they looked cool to him like giant swords or something.

The whirlpool died down and Gyuki dove back into the water to find their heads and grabbed each one by the horn. As he rose out of the water he gave a loud roar declaring his victory that could be heard from the island coast as he lifted the heads by the horns in the air and used his tentacles to rip the heads off and only holding the horns in his hands.

* * *

"I… am oddly impressed right now. I have never seen a giant monster battle before but that was actually satisfying to witness for myself." said Li-Ming.

"Yes, quite a sight to behold. Just as long as he fights alongside us."

"Agreed. Shoot, it's coming this way, what do we do?"

"Like I said, don't worry Li-Ming, you guys have nothing to be afraid of from Gyuki."

Gyuki came up to the boat where he spoke to Li-Ming and Nazeebo. "Are you all doing okay?"

"We are well, thank you for aiding us."

"Yes, thank you very much."

"Yeah, thanks a lot Gyuki you saved us big time!"

"You're welcome, I'll take you the rest of the way to the island now to save you some time." With that Gyuki grabbed the boat with his tentacles and put it on top of his head between his horns and swam them over to the island in about twenty minutes. When they reached the shores Gyuki placed the boat back on the waters, stabbed the two giant horns into the beach and grabbed Li-Ming, Nazeebo and 'Naruto' without warning and placed them on the beach too. He said his goodbyes to them and swam back out into the ocean deep enough so no one could see him anymore where Naruto took back control of his body and reabsorbed Gyuki's chakra into the seal. Naruto used the transparency technique to get back onto the shore and seamlessly switched with his clone without anyone noticing. Li-Ming was about to ask questions when Naruto cut her off.

"Now's not the time Li-Ming, I think we have some company at the moment."

"All of you! Drop your weapons and hands in the air! No sudden movements!" Naruto and company were surrounded by Amazon warriors holding up various weapons aimed at the three in defensive positions.

"What?! We didn't do anything wrong!"

"Just do as they say Li-Ming, I'm sure they're just as freaked out as you after seeing all of that. So it's not surprising they won't trust us right away, so don't give them a reason not to, it'll all work out."

Li-Ming didn't have a reason to believe otherwise so she complied with their demands, although with some reluctance. "Fine." All three of them dropped their weapons, and Naruto dropped his scrolls as well to show he wasn't hiding anything. The scouts collected their belongings and lead them into Temis to be brought before their two queens.

* * *

(Temis: Throne Room before attack)

The two queens and their followers quickly entered Queen Celestia's scrying pool chamber where they all observed the unfortunate vessel that would become another victim of the recent threat to their eastern borders.

"I want everyone to pay close attention to this creature to see what we can learn from it and form any plans to make our waters safe again. It is vital to our country that we put an end to this monster as soon as possible!"

""Yes, Queen Xaera!""

Queen Celestia brought up the image of Naruto's boat in her scrying pool and they all watched as the red tentacles of their recent troubles began attacking the crew of the ship. The two queens gave all their focus and attention and observed in silence ignoring the chatter of their followers as they too looked on.

"There are so many of that one man, how is that possible?"

"They are putting up a decent fight. All three are definitely capable warriors of some kind."

"The woman is a Wizard without a doubt, and the dark male is most likely from the eastern jungles beyond the Marshlands, a Witch Doctor if I am not mistaken, but I am unsure of the blonde man."

"I cannot see how he is cutting down the beast, those knives he holds are not long enough to reach that far, and no normal weapon has been strong or sharp enough to damage the creature so easily."

"That monster can attack with fire! We have never witnessed such an ability before!"

"Look! The blonde man summoned a wall of water, and it held up against the fire!"

"Are they… really arguing in the middle of a battle?"

"It looks like the Witch Doctor has his priorities in order at least."

A collective gasp was heard from the warriors and seers as they all witnessed the new set of green tentacles that rose up from behind the ship. None of the Oracles or Queen Celestia herself had predicted a second creature had terrorized their waters, so the new information just gave them all a new sense of despair for their people.

"A-another one?! How can this be?!"

"One was bad enough, but two of these creatures can completely cut off our shipping routes to the north as well! How could we not have foreseen this?!"

"Please forgive my failings, as your Queen of the Oracles it is my place to divine such things of this magnitude."

"No Queen Celestia! We would not burden you with such a thing! Do not shoulder this responsibility alone!"

"Enough! We can discuss such things when this is over. These warriors' battle is not yet finished, we will honor them by watching them fight to the death and avenge them by using what information they can give."

""Yes Queen Xaera!""

"They are arguing again."

"It seems they have lost hope with this new foe before them."

"The blonde man doesn't seem to want to accept his fate. It seems he is trying to rally their spirits."

"Look! He just jumped into the ocean!"

"Foolish, how utterly foolish. He will only hasten his death in their own domain."

"Men are known for their grandstanding, he probably just wants to look like the tragic hero."

"But it will do no good in the end, just wasting his life away for nothing."

"He has resurfaced!"

"Then what purpose did diving into the ocean serve."

"We shall see, throughout the fight it looked like the other two looked to him for reassurance and he…"

Queen Celestia could not finish her thoughts as they all saw the two giant squids being launched out of the ocean. They were all stunned into silence as they observed _another_ beast emerge from the ocean and their own growing fear of a third beast to inhabit their waters became apparent.

"A third one! We… we cannot hope to best three of these beasts and this one is nearly twice as large as the other two!"

"Wait, it is not attacking the vessel, and it looks as if it is speaking to them. What kind of beast is this?"

"The first two are attacking it! Which means they must be fighting for territory!"

"With any luck they will kill each other and our problems can be solved."

"Or at the very least weaken each other to the point we can end them with ease."

"Did anyone else see that! That larger beast took note of the vessel behind it and chose to defend against that combination attack instead of evading! It is protecting those warriors!"

"No more chatter! I want everyone focused, I believe this battle will soon be at an end."

Everyone obeyed the queen's order, but they did notice the small gesture made by the larger beast to defend the boat, but could not fathom why it would protect them. It wasn't long before the fight was over and they all witnessed the gruesome end to the two giant squid. They couldn't help but be impressed as well when the beast gave a loud victory cry that they could all hear from the capital. What may have shocked them the most was when they saw the last standing giant carefully place the ship on its head and started moving in the direction of their island.

"Tell our scouts on the coast to continue observing the creature and those people from a distance! I want our captains ready to evacuate the city to the western coast on my command if that beast should target our land!" said Queen Xaera.

"If that beast should leave our island in peace and those people step foot on our land I want them disarmed and brought before us, but do not engage or harm them. I do not want to make an enemy of one who may be able to control such a beast." said Queen Celestia.

""Yes my Queens!""

With the queens' commands given, the Amazons and Oracles left the two queens alone in the scrying pool chamber. "Do you really think one of those warriors is in command of such a beast Celestia?"

"I do not believe it is outside the realm of possibility. That man dove into the ocean with a purpose and from the expressions on his face while they were arguing it looked to me that the man was determined to protect his comrades. And with that beast fighting for them, it just seems too fortunate to be coincidence."

"I see. Then they shall be treated cordially for now, but I will not tolerate any treachery on their behalf."

"Nor would I Xaera, the well-being of our people is my primary concern."

"And their safety is mine."

Celestia and Xaera, the two queens of the Skovos Isles made their way to take their seats upon their thrones to await the newcomers to their land. They would speak to them in person to discover their intentions and determine if they were friend or foe. They would not take any risks upon their kingdom; they may have just witnessed the end to one of their troubles but they would not risk any more.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: So sorry for how long this one took. I know I said there wouldn't be a lot of OCs in this story but there are quite a few in this chapter so you won't find all the new characters on the net, only a couple are from the Diablo verse the others I had to make up. The OCs won't have big parts in the story, just there for some background, sorry about that.

* * *

Chapter 4

Naruto and his group were all taken from the beach and led into the capital city of Temis to the palace of the Queens. The Amazon scouts took the orders of Queen Celestia seriously and did not take risks to antagonize the three visitors and allowed them to walk freely. However, they did take precautions against attack and had their hands near their weapons at all times and made sure to keep their confiscated weapons well out of reach from them.

Their walk through the streets of Temis drew a crowd as the citizens' curiosity was peaked by the entourage of Amazon warriors that surrounded the three newcomers. Visitors are not uncommon to the Skovos Isles but the garb of the trio was not native to their home, especially Nazeebo's attire, so it was easy to see they are not locals. The citizens were not only curious of the newcomers but were wary of them. Everyone there was well aware of the dangers of their eastern waters, so when three strangers are led from the eastern coast of the island, they are uneasy to see that anyone could have survived out there, especially after hearing the loud bellowing of what they could only imagine came from a great demon.

Naruto didn't pay too much attention to the onlookers as he was more focused on the layout of the city. Even though he was never a very conventional shinobi, as subtlety or keeping a low profile was never his preference. Naruto's growth and maturity into a sage and one of, if not Konoha's greatest Hokage, has made him to put more focus on his surroundings. He did not believe he would need to make an escape or anything, but knowing the major streets and buildings of a city never hurt.

He was also intrigued by the architecture as it was one he hasn't seen before. The city was made of stone, much like Iwa, but distinctly different. All he could say was that they certainly liked their stone columns and statues. They had many elaborate carvings of what he thought to be historical events and statues of who were either famous historical figures or their gods. (Greek/Roman architecture) He was brought out of his musings as they were finally brought to the bottom steps that lead up to the palace throne room and one of their escorts turned to speak to them.

"You will now speak with the Queens of Skovos, Queen Celestia of the Oracles and Queen Xaera of the Amazons. Answer all questions they ask of you, and you _will_ show the proper respects, understand?! If they deem you not a threat to our people you will be given back your weapons and belongings and be free to go. Approach the throne and kneel before them twenty paces away from dais of the throne. You will be watched closely by the Zarae Warriors who have guarded the Queens for many centuries. They are known to be the most fierce and devout of the Amazons so they will not hesitate to end you if they believe you are a threat to the Queens. Now make haste, we will make them wait no longer."

The three knew better than to argue over the given instructions and proceeded to climb the stairs and walk into the throne room of the two queens. The three walked into the hall of the throne room where more stone columns stood tall lined up on either side. The Zarae Warriors that had been mentioned before stood guard in two rows along the aisle and Naruto could sense more hidden in the rafters with their bows aimed on them. The warriors were all dressed uniformly with black and gold trimmed armor and knee high boots, they left their thighs mostly bare, and they all had their hair in a high ponytail with black bandanas around their foreheads. He saw that they all carried bows, arrows, and a shield, and the only thing to really distinguish each of them aside from their faces were their hair color and their melee weapon; among their weapons were spears, swords, maces, and halberds.

The two queens sat in their own thrones, each carved out of stone with plush cushions on the seat, arms, and back for comfort. Naruto could see that both queens were very beautiful and most likely in their prime, probably in their mid twenties or early thirties at most if he had to guess. He could easily tell by their physique and choice of dress of who represented what caste.

The Queen of the Amazons sat in the left throne from his perspective, she had long black hair with baby blue eyes and her build was that of a warrior close to Tsunade's physique, just not as well endowed, but pretty close. He could see the toned muscles in her arms and legs and could tell by the barely noticeable scars that she took her training seriously, something he could greatly respect. She wore a more elaborate armor in white with gold trim, and she had what he thought as a gold happuri style helmet that left the face open but covered the forehead, cheeks, and jaw with a white plume down the middle of the top of the helmet resting underneath her left arm. Her facial expression showed that she was serious and probably not the type to joke around with, especially with that great spear leaning against her throne on the right close to her hand (The Three Hundredth Spear).

The Queen of the Oracles sat in the right throne, she had long blonde hair a few shades lighter than his own with forest green eyes and her own build, while not as muscled as her counterpart, was well kept and he could tell she exercised to keep herself in shape. He noticed that her hands looked to be calloused indicating she most likely trained with a weapon at least, to probably defend herself if she needed to. She wore a white toga style top and dress that left her midriff and arms bare, she wore thick golden cuff type bracelets that covered her wrists and a gold tiara on top of her head with an elaborately carved square topaz gem embedded in it. She had a calmer expression on her face but he could tell she was also serious at the moment, and like her counterpart she was prepared as well with a quiver on her back and bow hanging from her throne (The Raven's Wing).

The three got to what they assumed was the appropriate distance from the throne and kneeled before the two queens for a few moments until they were spoken to by Queen Xaera. "You may rise." They stood up promptly as Queen Celestia spoke to them next.

"We would have your names please."

"Li-Ming of Xiansai."

"Nazeebo of the Tribe of the Five Hills."

"Naruto Uzumaki, a wandering sage."

"I was not aware that the sages began to wander now, and so young as well." Queen Celestia stated, and Naruto could feel Li-Ming's smirk blatantly screaming 'I told you so.'

"Uh, well I'm not exactly the type of sage you would be familiar with."

"And what type of sage would you be?"

"Well, I'm the kind of sage that is highly in tuned with nature. I can draw the natural energies of the world around me to gain strength and augment my abilities."

"Then you are a druid, not a sage. Are you not the one who summoned that beast to fight for you?" Queen Xaera said with some impatience in her voice.

"So you saw Gyuki as well then? He is more of a friend than just some beast, I thought he would be suitable to help with those demonic squids. And I must reiterate that I am a sage. The art that I trained in is called senjutsu which is another word for sage arts. I worked very hard to get to this point and I take great pride in what I have accomplished."

Queen Xaera looked a little annoyed that she was corrected but he was being respectful about it, so it really wasn't an issue, if he wanted to be called a sage then that was his prerogative. "Very well, sage. Let us start from the beginning. What were you doing in our eastern waters, did you not receive word of the dangers there?"

Li-Ming being her generous self decided to speak for them since she figured they would rather hear from the only female of the group since Queen Xaera and the other Amazons have been giving the men somewhat sour looks, not outright hatred but merely more suspicion than they would give her. She also figured that if Naruto was still keen on keeping secrets it would be best if he didn't dig himself into a hole he couldn't get out of, so she spoke for them.

"I am sorry, but no My Lady, we were not aware of the dangers of your eastern borders. We came from the Torajan Jungles in the Teganze Region of the Umbaru people and crossed the Marshlands to the coast to get to Philios."

"There are no ports directly east in the Marshlands where your ship came from. How did you acquire a vessel? Are you pirates that stole a ship?" Queen Xaera asked with a hard edge to her voice with narrowed eyes scrutinizing all three.

"No My Lady, we are nothing of the sort. My friend Naruto here actually has an intriguing ability to manipulate wood, he created the vessel himself."

Both queens were taken aback by the absurd statement but you could not deny the curiosity in Queen Celestia's voice as she stated her interest towards Naruto. "Truly? Would you mind giving a demonstration to confirm this claim?"

"No, it would be my pleasure… Hmm." Naruto stood there thinking, trying to figure out what he could make for them but Queen Xaera's patience was running thin.

"If you cannot do as was told then do not waste our time. I do not take falsehoods lightly!" Queen Xaera directed her last statement to Li-Ming which made her a bit nervous looking towards Naruto to hurry up and do something.

"Sorry, I'm just thinking of what I could make you. I mean I could just make you a tree I guess but it would crack and ruin your floor. I was just trying to think of something that could be useful or that you would appreciate. I think I've got it! I hope you like it." Naruto made a few basic hand-signs to focus his mokuton and held out both hands palm up to start creating them something.

The Queens and all the Amazons looked intently at his hands as to their shock wood seemed to be coming directly from them and formed into the shape of two life-size busts in the image of the two queens with great detail. They were all visibly awed by the ability and the great likeness of the queens from the two busts.

"While I was walking through your capital I saw that you have a great appreciation for art. I know it's not stone like you're used to but consider this a gift from me, the wood I create is actually very durable and can withstand a lot of abuse, it's even fire resistant to a certain point."

As soon as Naruto finished his statement everyone visibly relaxed from witnessing his ability and both queens were thankful for the gesture. Queen Xaera seemed to be less on edge, now that she knows they are at least being truthful at this point, and Queen Celestia was still impressed by the display as she spoke.

"Thank you for your gifts, they are some of the best pieces of our likeness I have seen yet. I would gladly put them on display for all to see." She gave a nod to one of their Amazon protectors to take the busts and put them away for now. The Zarae Warrior walked towards Naruto to take them from him but he pulled them away before she could take them.

"Careful! They're a bit heavy, the wood I make is denser than any natural wood which is why they're so durable." The Amazon gave him an angry look thinking he's calling her weak and grabbed one a bit forcefully before she had to quickly steady herself a bit from dropping it. The action surprised everyone there including the Zarae Warrior who was holding onto the bust with some trouble until she gained a firmer grip. She couldn't help but think what kind of scary strength this man must have to hold one on each palm of his hand like it was nothing. She nodded her head to another warrior to grab the other one and she could see her Zarae sisters were skeptical that it could weigh that much but she complied nonetheless. She took the other bust with a more cautious grip and realized that she too wouldn't be able to hold both of them. They both walked out of the throne room to put them out of the way so they can be searched for traps before the Queens decide where to put them.

After the two warriors came back Queen Xaera began her questioning again, directing her attention towards Li-Ming. "I can see that you are being truthful so far, seeing that a Witch Doctor from the Torajan Jungles is with you to corroborate your story and your other friend here can indeed manipulate wood. But now I need to know what your intentions are for entering the Skovos Isles. What is it that you wish to accomplish while here?"

Li-Ming didn't really know why Naruto wanted to come here but honestly he doesn't either. He just thought it would be a good place to go to next to see if he could help anyone. No one can say that Li-Ming isn't a quick thinker as she answered the queen without pause. "We are merely tourists here wanting to see more of what Sanctuary has to offer for a little while. We also need to resupply when the time comes to leave if we could, it is a much longer trip to Kingsport from here than from the Marshlands. But Naruto is also a bit of a missionary, he is a master healer and would gladly help anyone in need." Naruto just gave the two queens a smile and a wave not bothered that Li-Ming is offering his services.

"I see." Queen Xaera directed her attention to Naruto now deciding to go back to something he said earlier. "Now, you mentioned earlier that the beast that killed those two giant squid is a friend of yours. How is it that you can manipulate a titan such as that, and does it infest our waters now?"

"I am not manipulating him, he is truly a friend of mine that I have fought alongside with on several occasions. He exists on a separate plane from ours that I can summon him from so you don't have to worry about any more trouble in your waters from now on. And if your waters are ever put in danger like that again then he would be glad to help and make your oceans safe."

"Celestia?" Queen Xaera looked to her fellow queen to see what she thought. While Xaera was doing the questioning, Celestia was silently divining glimpses of the future concerning their three visitors. She honestly has been having trouble with her divining powers for a little while now especially what she thought as a major blunder about not seeing the second giant squid that terrorized their seas. What small glimpses she could see showed her that Li-Ming and Nazeebo were no threat to her country but she could not see anything concerning Naruto at all. This greatly disturbed her because even if she has been having problems with her powers she should be able to see some kind of vision of Naruto no matter how insignificant. Celestia leaned over to her counterpart to have a private conversation with trepidation in her voice.

"I… I do not know. The Witch Doctor and the Wizard are no threat to us but I cannot see anything concerning the Sage. I should be able to see something, anything, but there is nothing. I am sorry Xaera, please forgive me!" Before Celestia could get any further upset she decided to leave the throne room to her personal quarters, if she couldn't help Xaera any further, then she felt she shouldn't be there anymore. Everyone could see that Queen Celestia was distraught as she left the throne room but no one made mention of it, thinking it not their place.

"(sigh)... The Wizard and Witch Doctor are free to go, but the Sage must be held for now."

"What?! But My Lady he has done nothing wrong! His own summons even put an end to the troubles of your ocean! How can you imprison him?!"

The Queen let Li-Ming vent a little because she herself didn't really want to keep Naruto, he seemed like the decent sort, but if Celestia could see nothing from him then he is too much of an unknown to be allowed to roam freely. Celestia was always able to see a glimpse of the future from individual people no matter how small, but this man is a complete mystery which is too dangerous for them to risk at this point. "He is too much of an unknown for me to risk him roaming my country."

"But you know even less about the two of us! Why release us and keep him?"

"It's alright Li-Ming, I'm sure there's more to it than that. If they need to hold me then I won't resist." Naruto's keen ears heard the small conversation between the two queens before Celestia made her leave, so he understood why they trusted him less than Li-Ming and Nazeebo. They put a lot of faith into Queen Celestia's divinations so they rely mostly on her for decisions like this, so if she couldn't see anything concerning himself then he was an even bigger unknown than Li-Ming or Nazeebo.

Everyone was shocked by his response, especially the Queen and her fellow Amazons. They thought he would be even more upset than the Wizard but it would seem that he will cooperate with them until they can put a resolution to this. "Do not distress, you will not be put in the prisons with the criminals, but you will be put in a holding cell for the time being. Out of courtesy, since you have done no wrong that we know of, I will ask if we can search your ship for any contraband or anything suspicious."

"That's fine with me. There is nothing there that I would consider to be illegal but I don't know all of your laws either so it will be at your discretion."

"Thank you for your compliance, I will have my warriors put your ship in our docks until this issue is over. I am sorry for doing this to you without any real evidence against you, but our country is in a delicate state."

"I guess those two giant squid would probably put a strain on your economy if you couldn't use half of your waters for anything."

"I am afraid it is more complicated than that but that is, or _was_ a part of the problem. I have said too much already, we will try to resolve this matter quickly. Please escort him to the holding cells at the court house."

"But wait! What if we just leave immediately and not bother you anymore, couldn't you let him go then?"

"It's alright Li-Ming, I'll be fine. Didn't you want to see the Skovos Isles for yourself for a long time? Go out and explore and learn something new. Don't worry about me."

"But…" She could see the look on Naruto's face and knew he wouldn't back out on this, so there was nothing she could do about it now. "Fine! You are so stubborn! See if I care anymore!" She stormed out with a still silent Nazeebo behind her after he gave a nod of understanding to Naruto before he left.

"I'll miss you too Li-Ming!"

"Shut up!"

"Well it seems you get along well with your companions doesn't it? But your dark friend doesn't say much does he?"

"Yeah, Nazeebo is more like the speak when spoken to type unless it's something significant that he thinks we should know about, but we all can have fun together even if we've only known each other for almost a month now."

"So little time together and such camaraderie. Such things only really come about through combat, which is why the Amazons always stay loyal to their own. One can learn many things of a person by watching a warrior fight, many secrets are revealed through battle."

"Yes, I agree completely. You can see into someone's heart in a fight, that's how I could tell what kind of person someone is by trading blows with them. It can be a very enlightening experience."

"Wise words from one so young. Spoken as a true veteran. I will be sure that you are treated well in your stay here. I apologize again for this inconvenience."

"No need to apologize for protecting your people. I can understand how difficult it can be for a leader to try to manage so many things at once. I am sure it is overwhelming at times but you cannot afford to show any vulnerabilities lest you be taken advantage of."

"You are quite correct, you seem to be speaking from experience. How can one so young be aware of such things?"

Naruto gave Queen Xaera a wide grin and responded to her question. "I have had close relationships to several of my village leaders and have seen many things from their perspective. They have taught me many things that I wish to emulate to make them proud."

"I am sure that they are." Queen Xaera nodded to her warriors and four of them lead Naruto out of the palace towards the court house's holding cells, and the rest of the warriors dispersed to the perimeters of the palace to keep guard. "Do you think I made the right decision Celestia?"

Even though Queen Celestia was upset at her lack of visions concerning Naruto, she was still intrigued by the man that they basically unlawfully detained and stayed hidden close to the throne room to try and learn whatever she could about the man, to try to gain some insight into his character. Celestia came out from an adjoining hallway to speak to her counterpart.

"My heart would say no, but as a Queen I cannot afford to think with my heart. From his words with you I would say that he is an honorable man only trying to do what is right by his comrades. And they in turn seemed to want to do right by him as well by defending him, well at least the Wizard tried. But she also said he was a healer, so I cannot readily see a healer causing treachery either. I am so sorry Xaera that I could not give my aid properly this time with the way things are right now."

"It is fine Celestia. We cannot always rely on your visions, and you have already done much for our kingdom over the years. You are not the only Oracle that has been having issues with her powers so I will not fault you for something that is out of your control. Besides, that Sage did not seem overly distressed by my decision, but that too could be cause for concern. And I will admit myself that my own instincts were telling me to trust this man as well, but my instincts have been wrong before. So it is best that we remain cautious with him for now."

"Should I have our scryers observe him throughout the night in the holding cells? We cannot expect a lone Amazon to watch him at all times."

"I think that would be for the best. If he really isn't here to cause trouble then we shouldn't see him doing anything suspicious and we can grant him his freedom all the sooner if you and our Oracles still cannot divine anything from him."

"Yes, I hope he can forgive us."

"He doesn't seem the type to hold a grudge."

* * *

Li-Ming and Nazeebo were walking through the streets on the way to the docks where the ship should be taken to.

"Why didn't you say anything Nazeebo? There is no reason that idiot should be locked away!"

"You must have faith Li-Ming. Sometimes you must be patient and the truth will reveal itself. Our friend is in no danger from the Queens and their people."

"I hate waiting. What are we supposed to do now? We can't just leave him here."

"No, we will not abandon him, but I think you should do as he suggests. You have wanted to visit this place for some time have you not? Indulge in your curiosities and gain the knowledge that you seek."

"How can you say that at a time like this?!…"

"..."

"(sigh)…Do you really think he'll be okay?"

"Yes. I believe our friend is biding his time before he must act."

"Act on what?"

"The Queen alluded that there are other troubles in her kingdom other than those demonic sea creatures. I believe Naruto thinks it is best if he is caught in the middle of whatever troubles there may be, so he may give them his aid on his own initiative. I am not ignorant to the fact that the Askari warriors look at males with more suspicion than females, so they will not readily accept aid from men if they can help it, and they are too proud to ask men for aid directly themselves."

Li-Ming stopped walking as did Nazeebo and she just stared at him in slight awe. "Wha… My word Nazeebo, that is actually some incredible insight! I thought I was the one who was supposed to think of these things. That all actually makes sense! Naruto did say that he wouldn't walk away when people need help. So this is probably something that he would do while trying not to step on too many toes. I must say I am impressed, and thank you Nazeebo, I actually feel much better now. I think I _will_ explore a little now that my thoughts won't be so frantic. That idiot had better not make things worse though."

"You honor me, and you are welcome for easing your mind. I will stay by the ship while they do their search and will answer any questions they may have."

"Okay, well I'll be back at some point, hopefully they won't confiscate the ship."

"I would see no reason for it. Just be cautious out there. We have no idea of what kind of troubles this kingdom may have."

"You as well Nazeebo."

* * *

Naruto was escorted to the court house to the west of the palace where he was the only one in the holding cells. After he was put in the cell, his Zarae escorts spoke to a young Amazon warrior from the regular forces, who was put on guard duty for the holding cells. She had dark brown hair in a high ponytail with lightly tanned skin and wore the regular Amazon Warrior armor with a red chest plate with bronze boots, gloves, and pauldrons. She only carried the standard spear and shield as her only weapons. The Zarae Warriors briefly gave her her orders before they left, and the young warrior approached his cell to speak to him.

"My orders are to watch over you as the Queens try to sort out your situation. I have been told that you have not committed any real crime but you are to be detained as a precaution and that I shouldn't expect any trouble from you either since you have been very cooperative with us, so it should make my job easier tonight. I will get us both some food for dinner from the nearby food stalls in the city in about an hour or so. Is there anything in particular you would like?"

"You wouldn't happen to have any ramen stands would you?"

"Sorry, but I am unfamiliar with that dish, but it doesn't sound like something that is made here."

"Oh well, I guess I'll eat whatever you eat. I don't think I would know the local cuisine here either. So you can surprise me!"

The warrior gave him a devious smile before responding. "Okay, if that's what you want. I was told to treat you respectfully so if you want to eat what I eat I'll gladly comply to your request."

Naruto didn't like her insidious tone as he grabbed his cell bars trying to put his face through and tried to call her back as she walked away. "W-Wait! What is it that you eat exactly?!"

"Now that would be telling!~ You said to surprise you right?"

"Hold on! I changed my mind, I want something else!"

"I'm sorry! I can't hear you! I'm going to make my rounds around the building now! When I come back I'll have our food with me!"

"I know you heard me! Get me something else! I have a delicate stomach!" Naruto could hear the Amazon's laughter in the distance that brought a smile to his face, he always liked joking around with people who have a sense of humor.

' _Delicate stomach my ass. I've seen all the things you've put in your body.'_

' _Hahaha, I know Kurama. I'm just playing around with my warden. I just wanted to brighten up her day a little bit, cuz I know guard duty sucks.'_

' _So what's the plan Naruto? Are you going to send out clones to look into what may be troubling this kingdom right away?' asked Kokuo._

' _Not right now. I'm gonna wait it out for a day or two at least. Try to see if I can talk my warden into letting anything slip out. She seems young and easy to talk to so it might not be that hard, especially since I broke the ice with her already. Heck, it might not even be a secret but I can't just blatantly ask about it or else they might think I'm up to something. I also don't know how they saw Gyuki from the palace, because I don't think the Queens would risk going to the shore to see a battle like that, they would be in too much danger. So they might have a way to observe their kingdom like me and the other Hokages could with the crystal ball and the telescope technique. I mean Li-Ming said this place was home to the Oracles too right, so can't Oracles see visions or something? I also just want to rest a bit too, releasing and absorbing back the chakra from a full transformation is tiring you know.'_

' _No it isn't, you're just being a lazy ass.'_

' _Whatever furball! But like I said, they could be spying on me right now somehow so I can't start an investigation and risk being caught. I have to let them know they can trust me a bit more before I can start anything.'_

' _Sounds like a plan Naruto. I like the wait and see approach.'_

' _I wonder_ why _Isobu?'_

' _Shut up Shukaku.'_

* * *

About an hour later Naruto's guard came back from her rounds with two plates of food she had promised to get them. Naruto feigned apprehension, still playing along with the Amazon to try and loosen her up a bit more.

"W-what is that you got there?"

"It is a favorite dish of mine that I thought we could enjoy together!" She brought the dish close to the bars in front of his face so he could see it clearly.

"Is… is that, ugh, snails? This is Ma's cooking all over again." Naruto said with his face going a little green.

"Oh, so your mother has made **Kohli Bourbouristi** for you before? It is quite lovely isn't it?"

"No she wasn't my mother, just a close friend that everyone called Ma. And yeah, she and everyone else from their… town liked stuff like this. Not particularly a favorite of mine."

"Oh Amazon up! It is not as bad as it seems and I am not getting you anything else and you will not waste food either!"

"Fine, I'll eat it. It just brings back some horrible memories."

"Stop crying you big baby, many Amazons love this dish. I guess men really aren't all they claim to be."

"Yeah, yeah just give me the dumb things." The Amazon warrior put the dish through the slot in the door for food and watched gleefully as Naruto took his first bite.

' _Sorry about this Saiken.'_

' _I cannot look!'_

"Don't just try to swallow it down either, I want you to savor and actually taste it." Naruto gave her a sour look as he slowly began to eat his food instead of trying to get it over with quickly.

"So, how is it? Not bad right?"

"Yeah, this isn't that bad. Definitely looks worse than it tastes, but ramen is still a thousand times better though."

"Whatever, I don't know what ramen is but this will always be my favorite."

The two lapsed into silence as they slowly ate their food together, Naruto in his cell and the Amazon warrior on a bench against the wall opposite to the cells. After they finished eating, Naruto's warden really did become more comfortable around him and they had conversed for a while until it was time for lights out. She was actually glad to speak to someone about mundane things and to vent about her work as she couldn't really do that with her superiors.

She even alluded to some of the problems the country was having as they weren't really a big secret and some of it was just speculation. He learned that because of the beast that terrorized their waters their economy has suffered because shipping lanes have been cut off and their food supply has been running low since fishermen could no longer fish off their eastern coast. He also found out that people have been going missing for a few months now and no trace of them have been found. Even the Oracles have been having trouble as of late with getting visions. And because of these problems the people, or rather the men mostly, have been restless thinking the Queens to be incompetent and whispers of an uprising have been heard going around the people.

"So, did you really end that abomination like I have been hearing about?"

"Well not me, but a friend of mine that I summoned took care of them. So your waters should be safe again for fishing to resume."

"So there really were two of those things?"

"Yup, really ugly suckers too."

"I wish I could have seen what they look like."

"I'm sure their bodies have already sunk to the bottom of the ocean or are being eaten by the wildlife, but I got their giant horns as trophies sticking out on the beach. You should go check it out when you have the time."

"I think I will when my shift is over tomorrow." They lapsed into a short silence until Naruto started to probe for a little more information from his warden.

"Do you really think that the people wish to overthrow the Queens?"

"No, not the people, just the men. We sometimes hear talk in bars of how the men are beginning to think that our country should be led by kings like the kingdoms to the north. Such speak has not ever been heard of before in our history, so many of the Amazons are very suspicious of the men. Our country is slowly being divided from the inside. Our society has never subjugated men or treated them unfairly, and the Amazons and Oracles will definitely not abandon our country's history and traditions for a few disgruntled men."

"How long ago did that giant demonic squid start terrorizing your waters?"

"It has been a few months now."

"Was it before or after your people went missing?"

"People going missing came before the attacks on our ships began by that beast."

"What about your Oracles having difficulties with their powers, when did that happen?"

"That was the first issue to arise. Why are you asking these things?"

"One of my teachers once told me that you must look underneath the underneath, which was really vague at the time and I was just a dumb kid that took a while to understand things. But from that as I became older I learned not to believe in coincidences and to always look at situations from many angles rather than just in a straightforward way."

"You think the issues of the Oracles, the missing people, and those monsters are connected somehow?"

"I think they can be. It sounds to me like someone is going through a lot of trouble to throw your country in turmoil. I don't know how they are connected exactly but I have a rough theory. I think that someone is sabotaging your Oracles somehow that way it would be easier for whoever is behind this to abduct your people if your Oracles don't have the visions that would otherwise keep your people safe by preventing these acts. The giant squid attacks can be explained by trying to make the Amazons look weak by not being able to handle protecting their borders. That way with all these issues coming out at once, the people, or in this case the men, will say that the throne looks incompetent and spread doubt among the masses. But whoever is doing this certainly has a knack for keeping well hidden if your forces still haven't discovered any leads on anything."

"I would have never thought of something like that, but that is indeed something to think about. You are definitely wise beyond your years for a man."

"Well thanks, I know us men can be real boneheads right?"

"Hahaha, yes very astute of you, but I should inform the Queens of your theory in the morning. I have heard rumors that both Queens do not like to have their sleep interrupted less you be prepared for terrible consequences."

"Haha, maybe that should be for the best then. I've known some women myself who got really cranky from losing their beauty sleep."

"Hahaha, yes, I am afraid that many of the Askari are quite the same actually, especially the higher up in rank you go."

"So do you get cranky when you lose sleep?"

"I can't afford to, I'm just a part of the regular forces so I'm used waking at the crack of dawn."

"Well I'm sure you'll rise up in rank and become as cranky as your superiors in no time."

"You really think so?"

"Definitely, as long as you keep working hard and push yourself you can even be a general if you put your mind to it."

"Thank you for the support, but I think it is time for you to sleep now. I must still perform my duty and keep watch throughout the night."

"Will do. You know, I never got your name. What should I address my humble hostess as?"

"Hahaha, hostess, riiiiiight. You may call me Euphrosyne."

"Nice to have met you Euphrosyne, you can call me Naruto."

"Very well Naruto, I shall see you in the morning."

* * *

A few hours later in the middle of the night Naruto was woken by the feeling of ill intent outside heading for the courthouse. He could sense that Euphrosyne was still awake at her desk just down the hall probably doing some paperwork to pass the time. He decided to take a risk and play it extremely safe and silently made a shadow clone and a wood clone for greater precaution. The wood clone immediately transformed into a perfect replica of Euphrosyne and both clones moved into an open cell and made sure they were well hidden by the shadows.

Before the mystery person came inside the courthouse the wood clone replaced itself with Euphrosyne and the shadow clone immediately grabbed a hold of her in the darkness covering her mouth and tried to calm her from the abrupt movement and capture as she struggled to escape making sure to only whisper enough so she could hear him. "Calm down Euphy, it's me Naruto. I'm not going to hurt you, but someone is coming with some bad intentions. So I wanted to see what would happen without you being in the crossfire."

She looked back to her captor seeing Naruto and she looked all around seeing that there was an exact replica of herself sitting at her desk as well as another Naruto still in his cell. She looked back to the Naruto holding her with a questioning expression and he explained a little further. "Sorry, but I'm a clone and so is the one at your desk. The original is still in his cell and he felt someone with negative emotions coming this way and thought it best for us to observe what's going on. Please just stay still and watch and listen okay. If the boss is wrong about this he'll let you hit him or something to make up for it." The original Naruto heard his clone's whispers and looked at him with an annoyed expression and gave him the finger while he was at it, the clone just looked back at him with a smug smirk.

Euphrosyne nodded hesitantly because she could get no leeway from struggling and realized just how much stronger he was than her so there wasn't anything she could do but comply for now. The clone holding her turned them slightly to face the back of the transformed wood clone just in time to see that three men came from around the corner and the Euphrosyne clone called out to them.

"Halt! Who goes there?! By the order of the Queens none shall pass!" The Euphrosyne clone exclaimed in an overly grandiose fashion.

The real Euphrosyne turned her head to look at her clone captor with dull eyes, which were basically asking 'What the fuck?' The clone just looked back at her and shrugged his shoulders which was his response saying 'Don't look at me.'

The real Naruto couldn't be more embarrassed by his clones dumb cliché one liners but he noticed that something invisible came behind the cloned Euphrosyne and called out to her. "Euphrosyne! Behind you!" It was too late as a man came into sight before stabbing 'Euphrosyne' in the back and out through her stomach as she fell and began bleeding on the floor.

"Euphrosyne! Hold on, I'll help you!" The man who shimmered into view from behind the clone was wearing yellow robes as he turned to Naruto and spoke to him in a superior tone with a slimy voice.

"You won't be helping anyone fool. You have caused us a lot of misery you know, months of planning down the drain when your little beast killed our demons. Do you know how many sacrifices had to be made to summon those demonic sea beasts! And they were the only two of their kind! We should torture you for weeks before we finally kill you!"

"I'd like to see you try asshole."

"That can be done very easily. However, my leader is a benevolent man and has decided to forgive your transgressions if you come to work for us, and we will use your beast to finish our work here."

"Do you really think I'll help some slimy psychopath try to take over this country?"

"Hahaha, we're not interested in taking over this country, we just want their people for our future sacrifices. We were actually hired by a group of pirates that want this country. As long as we leave them some of the women to play with, they don't care what we do to this place."

"You're being awfully chatty by revealing your plans you know. Who exactly is this 'we' you speak of?"

"It doesn't matter what you know, you will be serving the Coven soon enough. Just like these fools behind me." Naruto looked behind the man to see the three men that were clearly under some sort of control as they looked out of it with dull expressions on their faces. He couldn't feel any type of emotions coming from them so he figured it was the reason why he could only sense one person coming here.

"What did you do to them?"

"Just a little bit of controlling magics to make them see things our way. Hundreds of the men on this island are under our control and are spreading dissension among the rest of the men. When chaos finally descends among these people the Coven will be there with our demons to capture all the people we can while they are weak and helpless, and the Oracles will be left unguarded."

"So you're after the Oracles too?"

"Yes, the blood of the Oracles contain powerful magics that will allow us to summon even greater demons to this world. Amazon blood would be good too but they are far more troublesome to deal with, but the pirates that want this country will be here to capture it as well when the time comes. We will have your beast destroy the rest of the vessels of the Amazon fleet so they can invade this country without having to go through a blockade. But I'm positive they are just helping with this to make sure we don't take all of the women, they probably want some of the Amazons intact as well for their sick amusements."

Naruto's clone holding onto Euphrosyne had to tighten his grip on her to keep her from trying to go over and strangle the man for what they have done to her country and what their plans are. He could tell she was really pissed and had to watch out for her mouth too just so she couldn't bite him and blow their cover.

"Wait, how did you even find out that the beast who killed the other two was summoned by me? It hasn't even been a full day yet!"

"Simple, we have an inside 'woman' so to speak."

"They have been betrayed?"

"Not really, we were lucky when a young inexperienced Priestess fell to our mind altering magics, she has been quite the boon really. She has been leaving our talismans and cursed runes all over the palace and personal quarters of the Oracles to disrupt their divining magics. The Priestesses are allowed to roam freely and no one would suspect one of the eight Priestesses to be influenced by outside parties. Hahaha they all think they are simply in a slump, but it is the Coven who has taken away their visions! It is too perfect really."

"Okay, hold on a minute, aren't you just a lackey? Why would you possibly know all of this?"

"I am no lackey fool! I am Percepeus, Follower of the Yellow God!"

"See! It's even in your title! You're just a _follower_ so you're just a lackey. How the hell did you know about all that?"

"I eavesdropped on my commander okay! I have a right to know what we're doing!"

"Don't you see Percepeus, this is why lackeys don't get informed of such things. Because they will just blab about all their plans to anyone who will listen just to make themselves feel bigger than they really are."

Percepeus actually took a moment to think over his words and it dawned on him that he was actually right. He just revealed pretty much all their secrets because he thought it would make him look more sinister and boost his ego. "S-s-shut up! After I capture you and force you to summon that beast for us I will be promoted for sure, so it won't even matter!" After his outburst he began chanting to cast a spell on Naruto and to everyone around it seemed to have worked as he took on a dull expression to mimic the other men caught in the spell.

"You, go get the keys and open his cell!" Percepeus commanded to one of the men who obeyed robotically and went over to the desk to retrieve the keys and open the cell door. After it was done he directed all the charmed men to follow him out to return to their base of operations.

Once they were gone the clone holding Euphrosyne finally let her go but had to grab a hold of her again when she started running for the entrance to chase after them. "Let go of me Naruto! I must stop them! We can't allow them to make you summon that beast against us!"

"Hold on Euphy, take it easy. Nothing like that is going to happen alright. Just calm down."

"What do mean calm down! My country is in danger and you want me to calm down! And my name isn't Euphy, it's Euphrosyne!"

"Just listen, the boss isn't really under their control okay, if he was I would have dispelled and we wouldn't be having this conversation. He was just faking it so that that idiot lackey could lead him to their base of operations. He'll take care of them, but we need to inform your Queens immediately about the situation and try to find the Priestess who is under their control."

"You should listen to him Euphy, there are more important things for you to do right now." Both the clone and Euphrosyne looked to see her mirror image from the wood clone that had simply gotten up to speak to them.

"How are you still alive, you were run through!"

"Don't remind me, do you know how embarrassing it is to let yourself get stabbed like that when all the stealth that moron had was just some half-assed invisibility technique? I could hear four sets of feet walking before they even entered the area. I knew where he was the whole time."

"How do you look like me?! This is really freaky right now, can you stop that?"

"Sure, I guess." The clone dropped the transformation back to look like his creator. "Better?"

"Yes. Now what is going on here? Why am I letting them get away?"

"You have to trust us alright. We need to alert your Queens of the situation right away and we'll explain everything that we can. Don't worry, the boss won't let anything else happen to your country, we give you his word. But we might want to get our two other companions to have them vouch for us as well, just in case."

Euphrosyne stood still and stared into the wood clone's eyes to look for any deceit but she found none and decided to trust them. "Alright. We will inform the Queens, but I will leave it up to you to explain to them and I will back up everything that I have witnessed."

"Okay, thank you."

"I'll go get Li-Ming and Nazeebo while you two get the Queens." said the shadow clone as he took off before they could respond. _'Hehehe, sucker!'_

* * *

Euphrosyne and the wood clone made it to the entrance of the royal living quarters of the queens where they were stopped by two of the Zarae Amazons with threatening looks on their faces and their weapons drawn when they saw 'Naruto' with her. "What is the meaning of this?! Why is this man roaming freely when he should be detained by direct order of Queen Xaera?!"

"Defying the Queen's order is an act of treason! What say you Amazon?! Speak quickly!"

Euphrosyne was always a little intimidated by the Zarae Warriors but she did look up to them and hoped to be a part of their unit one day, but she had vital information for the Queens so she set aside her fear and awe and responded without hesitation. "I have urgent news that concerns the safety and continued well-being of our country that our Queens must be informed of immediately! This man is with me because he is a direct witness to certain events that have transpired this night only moments ago!"

"What events do you speak of?"

"There is no time to explain! The Queens must be notified now!"

"Hold your tongue green-skin..."

"Please! By the honor of my spear, it is vital that the Queens be alerted immediately!" It took a lot of courage to cut off one of the Zarae Amazons but the situation called for it. The two veteran warriors looked to each other to see what the other thought and they both nodded their head to each other in agreement.

"Very well, but this had better be on the level. Follow us, we will inform Queen Xaera first." Each of the Queen's personal rooms were situated on opposite sides of the large estate for safety reasons as they did not want both Queens in the same area in case of emergency. The first chamber they went to was on the west side of the living quarters where Queen Xaera slept. They arrived in a couple of short minutes before her chamber door. Both Zarae Warriors looked to each other a little uneasily but seemed to have a silent conversation with each other as one of them directed her attention towards 'Naruto.'

"You, you are the primary witness for these proceedings correct?"

"Um, I guess so. Why?"

"Come, stand right here. Quickly!" The wood clone did as he was told and stood directly in front of the chamber door. One of the warriors walked a distance away dragging Euphrosyne with her while it seemed the other warrior was preparing herself. She took a deep breath and swiftly began using the door knocker and banged it several times very loudly and then immediately retreated next to her fellow warriors.

The clone was confused at first about all the apprehension until after several moments he heard thundering footsteps coming towards the door and remembered what Euphrosyne had said about the Queens and their dislike of interrupted sleep. The door opened slowly with a loud, creepy, creaking noise that one would hear in a horror movie. The door finally opened completely but all he could see was a black void until suddenly a figure slowly stepped out of the shadows. Her head was down and her long black hair was disheveled and covered her entire face, and her long white gown made her look more ghost-like than 'Naruto' wanted to admit.

She suddenly moved directly in front of 'Naruto' without warning and lifted her head to show her pale face with bags under her wide open bloodshot eyes and let out a bloodcurdling scream in his face. "AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

""AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"" Soon 'Naruto' and immediately after Euphrosyne began screaming themselves from the terrifying scene, that could be heard throughout the palace. The two Zarae Amazons held their ground but they still got chills from witnessing the display. After about two minutes of screaming, 'Naruto's' screams of terror were replaced with screams of pain as Queen Xaera began beating him to a pulp with her fists, so he was still screaming for a while. Euphrosyne stopped screaming shortly after 'Naruto's' pummeling began but her heart was still beating rapidly and she had to put her hand over her chest to try and calm herself down and catch her breath.

"Athulua save me. That was the most terrifying thing I have ever seen, I'm going to have nightmares about this."

"You're not the only one." One of the Zarae Amazons said to her.

"Just wait until we have to get Queen Celestia."

"She can't be worse than this can she? Queen Celestia is so kind and gentle."

"Not when she loses sleep she isn't, this is why we came here first. Just to prepare you for what is to come."

"I have an entirely newfound respect for the Zarae Amazons, how can you _not_ be terrified of this?"

"What do you think one of the tests are to become a Zarae Warrior?"

"You had to do this!"

"That's right. Every Zarae Amazon had to wake both Queens on their own, but they don't have to do it on the same night. That would be overkill."

"But anyone who can survive both Queens in the same night is a warrior like no other."

After several more minutes of Naruto's wood clone taking a beating Queen Xaera was mostly awake by now as she stood up and mechanically turned her head to her warriors and spoke to them in a terse tone.

"What?!"

"These two claim to have urgent news pertaining to the safety of our country, My Queen!"

The queen ignored the moaning in pain 'Naruto' on the floor and just stared at Euphrosyne with a hard look which made her a bit frightened but just abruptly looked away and marched back into her room and slammed the heavy door quite loudly making her jump.

"Um… isn't she going to hear what we have to say?"

"She will, she is just going to change into her proper clothes and meet us in the throne room."

"Yes, now it is time to retrieve Queen Celestia."

"Do we really have to?"

"Yes, you said this concerns the well-being of the country so Queen Celestia will want to know."

"Let's get this over with. Grab the witness and let us continue on."

Euphrosyne did as she was told and picked up 'Naruto' who groaned in more pain as she slung him over her shoulder and followed the more hardened warriors. After a few more minutes of what felt like a death march for the Amazons they finally arrived in front of Queen Celestia's chamber door.

"Drop the witness here." Euphrosyne again did as she was told and dropped 'Naruto' on the floor as he continued to groan in pain but was still a bit out of it and just laid there not knowing what was going on. The two Zarae Amazons this time both grabbed Euphrosyne and retreated a further distance down the hall to get out of reach.

"Doesn't someone need to knock on the door?"

"Only if you're an amateur."

"And _we_ young warrior, are most certainly no amateurs."

One of the Zarae Warriors pulled out a small pebble from a pouch and briefly showed it Euphrosyne, and before she could ask any questions the veteran warrior threw the pebble at the door and hit the metal of the knocker that only made a slight sound.

"Is tha..." Euphrosyne was cut off from speaking as the door to Celestia's room was immediately swung open and slammed into the room wall creating a loud noise that made her jump and almost scream if not for the two Zarae Amazons both quickly covering her mouth with their hands and not saying a word themselves as they all just looked on.

'Naruto,' startled by the sudden noise got some of his bearings straight and sat up facing the darkness of the open door. A sudden growling noise could be heard from the doorway as he looked up to only see two dark green glowing eyes staring straight at him. Before he could scream, what seemed to be a long gangly arm shot out from the darkness as a hand with long lanky fingers covered his face and dragged him into the room and shut the door, where his renewed screams could be heard by everyone in the palace again. All the Zarae Amazons on duty said a silent prayer for the brave warrior who would dare disturb both Queens on the same night.

Euphrosyne couldn't take anymore after witnessing that grotesque looking arm and hand grabbing 'Naruto' like that and hearing his renewed screaming, passed out in the arms of the two veteran Amazons.

"Ha, the little warrior passed out."

"Most of them do."

"True, true." The two warriors realizing that it's now safe to approach the room with the Queen having a victim to occupy herself with, dragged Euphrosyne with them to wait out the current storm.

"..."

"..."

"How long do you think Queen Celestia will take with this one?"

"He's been in there for four minutes so far, so another ten minutes maybe? What's the record?"

"Twenty-two minutes."

"No wonder Zosime is such a hard-ass."

"Yeah, I shouldn't give her too much grief anymore, having to go through that for so long."

"You're right, we should do something for her."

"That sounds nice."

After another twenty-seven minutes, blowing the previous record out of the water at thirty-one total, 'Naruto' was abruptly thrown out of the room through the door where he bounced off the adjacent wall landing on his face, where he mustered enough strength to speak to the two who he blames for his misfortune.

"I… hate… you guys."

"Well he sounds a lot more chipper than I thought he would be."

"Damn, he is one tough son of a bitch to even be coherent enough to insult us after waking both of our Queens and breaking the previous record. This man is definitely alright in my book."

"You're right. I think he looked pretty handsome too before his punishments. I don't think I would mind having a few girls with him. They'd definitely be some scary warriors."

"Beautiful and deadly, a good combination."

The two Zarae Amazons were cut off from any further conversation as their Queen of the Oracles stepped out of her room, already dressed and looking as regal as she always did with a bright and serene smile on her face, as if nothing very violent or terrifying had just occurred.

"Was there something you needed?"

"Yes my Queen! These two claim they have urgent news regarding the well-being of our country!" The warrior said while they both held up a still passed out Euphrosyne.

"I see. Let us adjourn to the throne room and hear what they have to say."

""Right away my Queen!"" Each warrior grabbed a body and began marching towards the throne room following their Queen.

Queen Xaera seemed to have taken the opportunity to inform the other Zarae Amazons that they would have another audience with the man they detained the day before so the Zarae Warriors were gathered and in their positions already as she walked in at the same time as Queen Celestia and the others.

As the two queens took their seats on their thrones the two Zarae Warriors proceeded to wake their charges by repeatedly slapping them to either wake them up or get them coherent enough to stand on their own. Once the wood clone of Naruto and Euphrosyne got their bearings straight a third Zarae Amazon came to the throne room escorting Nazeebo, and Li-Ming.

"My Queens, these two have requested to be present in support of their comrade."

"It is fine, thank you. You may all return to your positions." said Queen Xaera.

Li-Ming and Nazeebo came forward to join Naruto and Euphrosyne in front of the queens, but Li-Ming couldn't hide her curiosity as she spoke. "What is going on Naruto? What happened?"

"Sorry, I'm just a clone, but I'll explain everything. What happened to the other clone that got you?"

"Oh, I hit him with an arcane orb when he tried to wake me and dispelled him. Luckily he woke Nazeebo first and explained to him briefly that we needed to go to the palace for something concerning you."

"Oh. Yup, now I can remember it, now that I'm not half conscious anymore." _'_ _Hehehe, sucker! Wait a minute, that bastard knew I was gonna get my ass kicked! Whatever, at least I can take a beating unlike that punk-ass.'_

"Are you two quite finished?" said an annoyed Queen Xaera.

"Oh, I am so sorry My Lady!" said Li-Ming.

"Let's just get on with it. We have been told that you have news concerning the safety and well-being of our country. Those are very serious matters so this had better not be a waste of our time. Now speak."

Naruto took the role to explain everything that transpired in the holding cells only less than an hour ago leaving nothing out, and Euphrosyne corroborated everything that he explained. Throughout the explanation the Queens' and Zarae Amazons' expressions darkened considerably hearing the plot against their country as everything was connected.

"Pirates. Those damned pirates! Even after centuries they still want to make the Skovos Isles their own! Where are they?! Tell me where they are so we can crush them completely once and for all!"

"Sorry Queen Xaera but I don't know where they are. The original went with the Coven lackey to where ever their base is, and I don't know if the Coven and the pirates are using the same area as their operations point."

"Please hold for a moment. Why were we not informed of these matters sooner from our scryers? We should have had someone on duty to observe this man throughout the night." said Queen Celestia as a Zarae Warrior spoke out to answer her Queen.

"My Queen, Priestess Leto requested earlier tonight that she be the one allowed to observe this man."

"The Priestesses do not have to concern themselves with such matters."

"Yes, but she insisted that she wanted to gain more insight into the man to try and evoke a vision for herself concerning him."

"That must be her, she must be the one the Coven has under their control. She must have been there to allow them in without alerting your security." said Naruto.

"Find her! I want her found and her room searched for those talismans and runes! And I want every Priestesses' and every Oracles' quarters searched as well, including Celestia's for these cursed wards that have been affecting our seers."

""Right away my Queen!"" A group of Zarae Warriors left to follow their orders.

"Your name was Naruto was it, young Sage?"

"Yes Queen Celestia."

"You have done a great service for our kingdom, and I thank you for protecting one of our own while putting yourself in harms way. While this news is greatly disturbing, we are put in a greater position to finally resolving these matters due to your abrupt aid. I think it only fair that any suspicions you may have held be withdrawn and you be allowed your belongings and freedom along with our sincere apologies. Would you agree Xaera?"

"Yes, I believe that to be an acceptable decision. Your vessel was cleared of any illegal items and you have been nothing but a humble presence within our kingdom. You have indeed done us a great service. It was a mistake on my part to detain you, you have my apologies."

"There is no need to apologize, I believed the matter would resolve itself eventually. And if you hadn't detained me, we might not have been given the chance to get this information in the first place. If you ever need my help with anything further I would gladly give it."

"Your offer is appreciated but the Askari will put an end to their own matters, you have done enough for us already, and finally perhaps our kingdom will be at peace again."

* * *

Naruto was aboard a fairly large passenger ship that he currently had no idea where it was going as he was put in a separate room by himself as a, 'special commodity.' There were other captured civilians from the ship and citizens of the Skovos Isles that were abducted that night as well on the ship. He overheard some of the other Coven members saying that this ship was just captured on the seas earlier that day with relative ease. Naruto decided to put his skill set to use to search the ship for where the other captured people were being held and try to find out where they were headed. He created a shadow clone to take his place and throw off suspicion while he searched the ship himself.

It was really simple for him to sneak around in the shadows as none of the Coven members were overly sensitive to their surroundings, he could have used the transparency technique but he wanted to make it more exciting for himself. Hearing some screams down a hall, he unfortunately found three Coven members already in the middle of performing their rituals which seemed to include torturing their victims.

He quietly entered the room unnoticed, withholding his anger, as they were all occupied with cutting into someone, two men and one woman. He immediately threw three kunai impaling the back of their skulls and killing them instantly. He then threw his barrier kunai into the four walls and the barrier spread conforming to the walls of the room. He entered his Six Paths Sage Mode and began healing the still alive victims of all their wounds. The three who were in extreme pain just moments ago came to but were still disoriented after being relieved of the pain.

"You three are going to be alright okay, no one's going to hurt you anymore." The three hearing someone speak to them turned to Naruto, who by this time had stopped holding his sage mode, and backed away in fear thinking he was there to continue tormenting them. "It's alright, see." He said indicating the three corpses on the floor. "I took care of the one's hurting you and I healed all your wounds, so there's no need to be afraid of me. I didn't heal you just to hurt you again okay."

After realizing that they indeed were healed of any wounds they calmed down considerably but the trauma of experiencing such a thing weighed on them and they all slumped to the floor in exhaustion. The woman of the three broke down in tears while one man tried to comfort her and the other seemed on the verge of breaking down himself. The man trying to comfort the woman made some progress and then turned to Naruto to speak to him.

"Who are you? Why did this happen?"

"My name is Naruto and I'm here to help all of you who have been taken by the Coven. I'm not sure what the Coven is but they have been kidnapping people and using them in their rituals to summon demons. You three were going to be used as sacrifices before I came in here."

The man seemed to accept his answer and the other two began to pay attention to what was being said as the man spoke again. "What's going to happen to us now?"

"I'm going to find some place safe to put you three for now, but we're still on a ship that's heading to their hideout I think." The three got alarmed by this and were about to go into a panic until Naruto spoke again. "Don't worry, I'm not going to let them capture you again. As you can see I dealt with these three fairly easy right? I can heal others but I am a fighter at heart. Right now I am searching the ship to find the others like you and find out any other information that I can, like where we are going. So you three will have to stay on the ship for a little while longer, while I do my thing. I can't skulk around in the shadows silently with you three trailing me, but I'll find a safe place to put you okay. Just stay here a moment and I'll be right back."

Naruto moved down the hall and around the corner and found another room that he could only hear deep breathing from indicating sleep. He opened the door quietly to find several bodies, fortunately all alive, of civilians spread out around the floor. The sleep they were in was not a natural sleep but an induced one probably to make it easier to transport them without a fuss. He returned to the three victims and told them he found a decent place to keep them in.

Before he took them out of the room he took back his barrier kunai and made some preparations to keep up his cover for a little while longer. He made two clones and all three began to draw seals on the bodies of the Coven members that took them a little bit of time since it was a fairly complex seal. When they were done they each grabbed the instrument they were holding or dropped that had the blood of the three from their torture. They each placed the blood of the victims on the seal of the Coven's bodies and they activated them. The three onlookers were wondering just what he was doing until the bodies changed to look like exact replicas of themselves. What were once three dead Coven members were now the two men and woman they had been torturing previously.

"Sorry about doing this, it's probably really disturbing to see yourself dead like this, but I need to maintain my cover for as long as I can. I don't want to put anyone else in danger if I'm caught and I don't want to deal with a hostage scenario if I can help it. If they think you three are dead they won't bother looking for you." Naruto then proceeded to lead them down the hall to the other room for them to stay in for cover. Naruto wrote a quick locking seal on the door so no one could get in but him and was about to leave when he was spoken to.

The woman gaining a bit more confidence from his reassurance and skills of deception spoke to Naruto. "A-are you an assassin?"

"Well, that _is_ in my job description but I am much more than an assassin."

"Are you going to kill them?" She asked in a deadened tone of voice that he's heard before and didn't much like either.

Looking straight at her he answered. "More than likely, yes. I can't see a situation in which they will honestly repent for what they have done."

She looked up at him, shock and anger adorning her face. "Repent?! You would forgive them if they simply apologized for what they have done?!"

Naruto didn't respond to her outrage and answered in a calm tone. "Not a simple apology, no. But if they truly wished to better themselves and seek forgiveness and give back for the atrocities they committed then I won't deny them the opportunity to do so."

All three were shocked by his answer and the woman continued on gaining back some more of her zeal. "How could you even _consider_ allowing those monsters to roam freely after all the lives they have ruined?! They _can't_ be forgiven, they have all damned themselves to the darkest depths of Hell and they all deserve to die!"

"I know this is hard for you to understand, but I am a firm believer in giving people second chances to change their ways. You may believe me or not but I can sense the emotions of people, darker emotions especially. It is extremely hard, and I would say nearly impossible, to lie to me so I will know if someone is being sincere or not in terms of them seeking forgiveness. What was done to you was monstrous, I won't argue that fact, but don't let what they did to you turn yourself into a monster as well." The three stood there trying to grasp the full meaning of his words and were in a little awe by his speech until he spoke again.

"I know what that look in your eyes mean, I've seen it before. You all want revenge for what was done to you, you want to see them suffer and burn. I had a friend like that once; he put all his time and energy into seeking vengeance on someone. And when he finally got his revenge he didn't know what to do with himself anymore; his anger and hate wouldn't leave him. It took him years of isolating himself trying to find answers to even the simplest of his problems. He pushed everyone who loved him away and he nearly turned on us completely as well. It wasn't until I had to beat some sense into him that he realized he wasn't as alone as he made himself out to be. I can't tell you what to do, but if you go down that road it's extremely difficult and lonely. Just think on it for a while. The seal on the door won't let anyone in here but me and it also silences all noise coming in or out, so I'll keep searching the ship and come back in a short while okay."

After Naruto closed the door and turned around he heard a smooth voice speak to him from the shadows. "That was a nice little speech, did you write that on your own?"

Naruto knew she had been there for a little while, he felt eyes on him as he was guiding the three victims to the other room. What he felt from this person was most peculiar. She was a pool of negative emotions, what he felt most was hatred boiling beneath her skin. But it was a surprisingly calm hatred at the same time, there was no ill intent directed towards him or his wards. This woman was definitely a complex individual. He didn't keep her waiting for long as he answered her.

"Yup, that was all me. My speech writer has been on vacation for some time; pretty good huh?"

" _Phenomenal_. I don't suppose you actually believe that nonsense do you?"

"Absolutely. Everyone deserves a second chance if they fight for it. And I believe the ones that actually do want to be forgiven were never truly that bad in the first place. They just went down the wrong path when no one was there to help them. I like to think there is good in everyone because if there isn't then there wouldn't be anything in this world to fight for."

"A bold proclamation, but to each their own I suppose."

"For now. Could I have the name of my would be stalker?"

" _Cute_. I am Valla of the Demon Hunters."

"Well Valla, I am Naruto Uzumaki a wandering sage. I know, I know sages don't wander and I don't look like any sage you've seen since they're all old guys. I've heard it all before."

"Well if you've heard it before why continue to give your title?"

"Because! Everyone else is doing it, and I don't wanna be left out." Naruto said with a pout on his face.

"You are _really_ too cheery for my liking." drawled Valla.

"Oh come on! I'm not that bad!"

"You really are."

"(sigh) Can you come out now where I can see you already. You obviously know I'm not with the Coven by now so I'm not going to attack you."

"You can never be too safe in this world."

"Yeah, I'm really starting to get the same feeling."

Valla appeared out of the shadows where Naruto could finally see her. She was a young woman, most likely around the same age as Li-Ming, with medium length black hair and glowing red eyes. She wore red clothing with a red hood over her head and a thin cape flowing down the middle of her back. She had steel and brown leather armor over her clothes for a bit more protection, and she carried two unique handheld crossbows (Valla's Bequest & Dawn) with small quivers of bolts hanging from her thighs.

"It's nice to finally see you Valla. You know you hide pretty well. What are you doing on this boat since you obviously weren't captured?"

"I could ask the same of you."

"Ladies first!"

"(sigh) I was on this ship seeking passage to Philios when the Coven attacked and commandeered it. I could have tried to stop them but by the time I learned of their presence the other civilians were in a panic and running amok so they would have been in my crossfire. I decided to play it safe and hide and maybe discover what they were planning. Then a few hours later I discover you helping those people."

"I see. That's almost the same thing I did but I allowed them to capture me. I was being detained for being an unknown, they told me, on Philios when some lackey of the Coven came spouting some nonsense of how I ruined their plans or something and they were going to use me to finish their little plot. So I faked being put under his little controlling spell and followed them on this boat to find any more information I could and to let them lead me to their base of operations so I could put an end to what they're doing."

"That's… not really the same thing but, moving on. What is this plot that you ruined for them that they would want to use you for?"

"Oh, that? Did you ever hear news that the eastern waters of Philios were unsafe for passage or something?"

"Yes. Not many boat captains wanted to set sail for the Skovos Isles anymore because their waters were too dangerous. Only ships coming from Kingsport would allow passage to Skovos, but for a premium of course."

"Well it turns out that the Coven are the ones who summoned giant demonic squids that were terrorizing their oceans, and I summoned a giant friend of my own to take care of them because they were attacking my ship, cause I didn't get the news and I sailed directly into their eastern waters where the heart of the problem was. So it was a lucky break really that I just so happened to ruin their plans and they wanted to use my larger and stronger friend to complete them."

"You consider _that_ to be lucky?"

"Yeah, cuz you won't believe what happened while I was locked up and that lackey came."

"Why would the queens lock you away?"

"I think it was because Queen Celestia couldn't get a reading on me from her visions. They let my two friends go but they couldn't risk me being out and about I guess. It's no big deal, they were only protecting their country the only way they know how."

"How considerate of you to understand their perspective."

"Thank you."

"Now what is this that I am not to believe?"

"Oh, that's the best part! Some dumb lackey from the Coven came to retrieve me and he went the old cliché evil-mastermind-reveals-his-entire-plan-because-he-thinks-that-he-has-already-won route and he tells me just about everything they are doing. The best part is, he wasn't even the mastermind, he was just a dumb lackey who eavesdropped on his commander. It was just like I called it from the start! Hahahaha, it's never been this easy for me before! Wait until I tell Li-Ming and Nazeebo!"

"That… is just sad really. That's precisely why you leave the help out of the loop."

"I know, right? So, you look like you can handle yourself. You want to help me? I just need to find out where the rest of the kidnapped people are, find out where we're going so I know how to head back, then kill the remainder of the Coven here, save anyone else that is captured at their base, and return everyone back to Philios."

"I thought you were going to give them a second chance?"

"No, I said if they _truly_ wanted to repent I would give them a second chance. If there is someone there like that then I'm all for it, but from what I have felt from the Coven members on this boat, none of them regret anything they have done and I doubt any of the others will either that I encounter. So I'm afraid I can't let any of them go; my conscience won't allow me to let them roam free knowing they will just hurt and kill more people."

"Well, you're more unforgiving than I pegged you for. Perhaps you aren't so bad after all."

"Thanks I guess, I'm only unforgiving when I have to be. There are just some things that I can't tolerate and kidnapping and torture are two of them."

"Well to make your objectives easier. All the captured civilians are on this level and the level below this one. They were all put to sleep and stuffed into rooms together to make more space. As for where we are going, we have been heading southeast of Philios. To where, I do not know, there is no documented landmass in this direction, until you hit the Cape of Light, which is a couple weeks away."

"Thanks Valla, you did all the hard work for me. I guess all we can do is just wait until we land somewhere."

"Whatever you say."

"..."

"..."

"Is it weird that we haven't encountered any more Coven members while all these conversations were going on. I figured when that girl was yelling at me _someone_ would have come by because of the non-screaming in agony noise."

"Oh, I took care of it. I wanted to hear the rest of what you had to say to those three without interruptions."

Valla indicated to him to look around the corner down another hall where seven more bodies of the Coven were sprawled out along the floor with knives piercing their foreheads. Naruto looked back at her with a raised brow because she had to have been deathly silent for all of that to have slipped his senses, or maybe it was because he was trying to make an important point at the moment and couldn't be bothered to notice.

Valla just shrugged her shoulders answering his unasked question. "What? I was intrigued by your speech."

"Well, I certainly can't fault you for _that_ logic."

"You really need to tone it down."

"No one can tone down Naruto Uzumaki! No ONE!"

Naruto turned around as he heard something hit the floor. Which was another Coven member. "Keep it down will you. You're attracting more bodies."

"… Okay."


	5. Chapter 5

AN: This chapter was fighting me a bit, and I _might_ have gotten carried away with the antics in this one. ( **s** **wiftrabbit** gave me ideas;) I tried to put a little more into this one just to try and move it along faster, I didn't think it would take me this long to get to the real storyline of the game. I'm hoping that I'll at least get to the start of canon by the end of the next chapter but, again, I can't promise anything. I will try to get the next update sooner than I did this one, and I really appreciate all the positive feedback, I'm glad that all my reviewers so far like what I have published, I hope I can continue the trend.

* * *

Chapter 5

The sun had yet to rise and it was still very early in the morning or late at night if you prefer in Philios, but while the rest of the country quietly lay asleep, the palace of the Queens was very restless. The Zarae warriors were busy following their Queen's orders of searching the palace and the quarters of all their Oracles, including the Priestess' and Queen Celestia's for the cursed talismans that the Coven used to hinder their powers.

They made much more success when the Priestesses, who were awoken and told of the current crisis, and Li-Ming herself volunteered to help search for the magic wards. The small and unassuming wards they found were immediately destroyed and the Priestesses could feel the fog that has been clouding their minds slowly begin to fade away, but they could not stop searching yet. Naruto's wood clone and Nazeebo stuck around in the throne room since they weren't told to leave but they stayed out of the way of the busy Askari. Euphrosyne was relieved of her current duties and given time off for her efforts but she was sworn to silence regarding these new developments so as to not spread panic.

In the palace gardens, Priestess Leto was roaming aimlessly and unsure of what she was doing when she was found by the Zarae Amazons and taken to the Queens. Leto being fully aware by now could feel the tension of the throne room aimed at herself, which caused a sinking feeling in her stomach, as she was placed before the Queens and kneeled. You could feel the slight animosity the Amazons felt towards her whereas concern and pity was seen coming from Queen Celestia. Celestia could see that Xaera immediately wanted to tear into the young Priestess for information but a pleading look from her held Xaera back so she could question the young woman herself. She cared for all Oracles in her kingdom like they were her own daughters and the Priestesses were no different.

"Priestess Leto, what were you doing up this late at night?"

"I… I don't know. I just remember getting ready for sleep and I awoke in the gardens. I just thought it was one of my sleepwalking spells that have been plaguing me recently."

"Do you not remember requesting to take over scrying duties to observe the man we recently detained just yesterday?"

"No my Queen, I remember no such thing."

"… How long have these sleepwalking incidents been occurring to you?"

"I-it started just recently, perhaps four months now. I am not entirely certain."

"I see. Do you know why the Zarae Warriors were sent out to look for you specifically this night?"

"N-no my Queen. I only just found myself in the gardens when I was brought before you. I do not know for what purpose."

"Our country is in a state of emergency as of now. Several truths have been revealed to us this night and we find yourself as an involved party who has transpired against the thrones."

"Wh-what?! No my Queen! I would never! My loyalties have always belonged to the thrones! Please! You must believe me!"

"I do believe you Leto, but it seems that someone has been using you against us. Your sleepwalking episodes fits in with the timeline of the recent events in Skovos."

"Timeline? What are you talking about my Queen? I don't understand."

"I am afraid your mind is not entirely your own, Leto. A spell has been cast upon you so you could be used against us. Please, come kneel before me."

"Celestia?"

"It's okay Xaera, I need to search her mind to try and break this spell. Come forward Leto." The scared and confused Priestess did as was told and kneeled before Queen Celestia. She bowed her head as her Queen placed a hand on top of it to try and lift this burden from her. Queen Celestia tried hard to find the curse on her subordinate but it looked like she was still being affected right now, something was still keeping her full powers at bay. Priestess Leto stayed with her head bowed but she felt like she was losing consciousness, and something in the back of her mind was giving her commands that she couldn't refuse no matter how hard she tried.

' _Kill her! Kill Queen Celestia!'_ Without warning Priestess Leto took out a concealed dagger from beneath her robes and lunged at Celestia aiming to pierce her heart. Most of the Zarae Amazons could only watch in horror as if in slow motion because they knew they wouldn't make it to save their Queen in time, but three who had their bows already in their hands notched their arrows as quickly as they could in order to take the Priestess down. Xaera being the closest to them reacted quickly as soon as she saw the movement of the Priestess and thrust her own spear at her to try and pierce the young woman's throat.

As the arrows flew through the air and the sharp tips of the spear and dagger were getting closer to their intended targets, everyone's vision seemed to suddenly blur. A figure with familiar bright yellow hair, now sporting three arrows in his back, appeared crouched behind the young Priestess while holding the bladed edges of the dagger and spear in each of his hands just before they were about to be impaled into their victims. The room was eerily quiet as they all tried to understand what just happened. Many took glances to the back of the hall where Nazeebo stood, which is who 'Naruto' had just been standing next to and out of the way.

' _It is not possible for a man to move so fast.' 'He beat our arrows to the target? Impossible.' 'What sort of man is this?' 'This, this is just a clone of his?' 'You never cease to amaze me my friend.'_ These were just some of the thoughts roaming the minds of the onlookers until said man broke them out of their reflections.

"Ow." 'Naruto' immediately headbutted the back of the struggling Priestess' head to knock her out as he held on to her and lowered the dagger from Celestia's chest and dropped it to the floor.

The Askari Queens were both rightfully awed by this unexpected turn of events. Queen Celestia was grateful that she and her Priestess had been saved and was reassured even more that the man who came into their kingdom and has already affected them so greatly, is someone she could put her trust in. A small part of Queen Xaera was also thankful for the quick rescue; she didn't _really_ want to kill her Priestess but Celestia is far more important to the kingdom and to her. However a part of her was also afraid, she was afraid of what this man was actually capable of. The speed of his interference was absolutely unheard of, and she realized that he could probably kill everyone in her throne room off of his speed alone, not to mention the titan he could summon to his aid. She just prayed that her instincts telling her to trust this man were true. But even after realizing her fears and hoping this man would be a future ally rather than enemy, she couldn't just throw away her pride as a Queen and an Amazon warrior at the drop of a hat.

"You dare stay my spear?"

"I do."

"Why?"

"You know why. This woman was being manipulated, her actions are not her own."

"She is a danger to us, that is clearly evident."

"It is, but you need to calm down and let us try to save her. You aren't thinking clearly right now."

The Zarae Amazons didn't take too kindly to his words that seemed to dare insult and demand something of their Queen and moved in close to aim their weapons at the perceived threat with angry glares. They would have moved closer to make their point clearer but an overwhelming but non-threatening presence bared down on them which made it difficult to move.

"Everyone. Just. Calm. Down." It was clear where the heavy feeling was emanating from and they couldn't help but want to obey his command out of pure instinct. Queen Xaera was the first to get her faculties in order and began to think clearly once again as she slowly pulled her spear from his loosening grip, she definitely didn't want to make an enemy of this man.

"Everyone stand down, that is an order." The Amazons obeyed their Queen without question and stepped away from the man as the stifling feeling was lifted immediately which gave everyone some relief.

"Nazeebo, a little help here?" He said indicating to his back which Nazeebo understood and began removing the arrows that were still sticking out of him as 'Naruto' took a kneeling position and adjusted his hold of the unconscious Priestess to allow her to rest with him cradling her shoulders with an arm across her back. As soon as Nazeebo was done helping Naruto, Li-Ming and the rest of the Priestesses came running into the throne room expecting to find trouble.

"What happened Naruto, we could all feel your energy flaring. I thought you were in some kind of trouble."

"Nope, no trouble at all! We got everything squared away!" And just like that the Amazons and Queens could not believe the complete one-eighty in his personality from just moments ago as if there was no tension in the room at all.

"Then who is that you are holding?"

"Oh her, she's…" 'Naruto's' words were cut off as he just took notice of something that was emanating from the Priestess in his arms as he looked down at her. A few moments of silence went passed until he was broken out of his thoughts by the voice of Li-Ming.

"Naruto, what the hell are you doing?" After hearing her abrasive question, he could feel the angry glares of all the females inside the throne room, which included the Zarae Amazons, the Priestesses, Li-Ming, and not to mention the two Queens themselves. The tension that was slowly fading from moments ago was now back in full swing except he was now the one on the receiving end of the heavy atmosphere, which caused him to break out in a nervous sweat. Nazeebo, being the smart man he was discretely took a few steps away from his companion. Naruto, not quite sure of what to make of Li-Ming's question answered with the most intelligent question he could think of.

"Huh?"

"Don't 'huh' me you miscreant! You were obviously and blatantly ogling that woman in your arms just now! I should have known you took more after that master of yours you spoke of before!"

"What?! I wasn't ogling her! She's got something on her chest!"

"Yes, they are called breasts you moron!"

"No! I can feel some kind of dark energies coming from her chest above her sternum! It's probably a necklace or something! Check for yourself, because I'm definitely not gonna do it with all of you **judging** me!"

His words blew some of the steam off the women but they still were giving him suspicious stares. Queen Celestia, being the closest one to them still, reached over to search for a cord of a necklace from the back of the Priestess' neck, but as soon as she touched the cord she reeled her hand back as if burned by something.

"What is it Celestia?"

"He's right Xaera, she has a necklace, but I cannot touch it. It's evil presence is too much for me."

"See Li-Ming! Now aren't you embarrassed that you jumped to conclusions." Every woman in the throne room looked a little sheepish after that since they _all_ jumped to conclusions and he wasn't really ogling one of their own, even if she _is_ under suspicion.

"… (sigh) Sorry Naruto." said Li-Ming.

"Yes, please forgive us all for thinking so poorly of you." said Queen Celestia, speaking for her subordinates and fellow Queen.

"It's alright, no harm done."

"Yes, yes. Let's get on with it. Hold her still while I grab the necklace." Queen Xaera's mind quickly moved back to the matter at hand and decided to remove the necklace herself since she is more resistant to the magical effects of some items. She carefully took off the necklace and even she could feel evil energies coming from it. She pulled it up to study it along with Celestia. It looked like it was a coiled red snake but neither Queen could identify it themselves. However, Li-Ming being the well of knowledge concerning magic spells and items believed she may recognize it.

"May I, Queen Xaera?" Li-Ming said indicating to inspect the necklace up close herself. Queen Xaera did not hesitate and quickly handed it over to the young Wizard. After a few moments of getting a closer look she finally remembered what it was. "I know this amulet, this is Overwhelming Desire. This amulet should allow the user the ability to charm an enemy to fight for them, but it looks like the effects were tampered with and the jewel in this amulet is no ruby, but it is crystallized demon's blood. I believe it is safe to say this is what they primarily used to control this Priestess."

"What do you mean by primarily?"

"They probably used other mind altering magics on her than just the amulet."

"Why don't you see if you can reach her mind now Queen Celestia, the amulet is also what most likely affected your powers, so you might have a chance now." said 'Naruto.' Celestia nodded in agreement and tried again to save her Priestess; this time she was met with success as she purified the evil magics from the young woman's mind. The Priestess in question just seemed to slump further into unconsciousness in Naruto's arms as if her nightmares had just ended for her. Queen Celestia let out a sigh of relief as she could feel the burden being lifted from her subordinate, she had a teary eyed gaze as she looked to Li-Ming and 'Naruto.'

"Thank you, thank you two so much from the bottom of my heart. You do not realize how grateful I am to see such a heavy burden lifted from one of my own."

"Don't thank me Queen Celestia, knowing the origins of the amulet would have made no difference in the outcome. Naruto here should be the one receiving your thanks."

"Even so, I would still like to give both of you my thanks."

"Don't mention it! I'm just here to help."

"And your help is truly appreciated. Could someone please take Leto to her room? And please keep her under watch as a precaution."

"Right away my Queen!"

"Well this certainly has been a productive start to this early day. We appreciate everyone's efforts regarding these latest concerns. But until we have further information there is nothing more we can do at this time but wait for any news regarding the original Sage and what he can tell us about our current enemies. And Celestia will need time to rest from her recovering powers until she may get more vivid visions. For now, everyone get some rest and since everyone but our Generals have been awoken so far, wake them now and explain the situation to them and have them run things for a while, while we rest. We can't have our Generals getting lazy now can we." said Queen Xaera.

Everyone let out small chuckles at that. The Zarae Amazons let out despondent sighs knowing they would be the ones to awaken them. All the Generals were Valkyrie class Amazons and could also be difficult to awaken at times but they were by far easier to disturb their slumber than the Queens, so they could handle it.

* * *

Naruto and Valla scouted the ship for about an hour before they overheard from other Coven members that they would soon arrive where they were headed. While they waited, Naruto secured all of the rooms of kidnapped people with locking seals to keep them out of the Coven's hands. Fortunately for him, none of the other Coven members bothered with their prisoners at that point anymore so the rooms were never really checked. While Naruto was busy doing that, Valla, staying out of sight, located the rest of the Coven, and she found another twenty of them sleeping and thirteen more on the deck running the ship.

They both thought about it and since they were close to their destination they decided to quietly dispatch the remaining Coven to get them out of the way. Naruto was impressed with Valla's finesse in the art of the silent kill, this was definitely not her first rodeo. Likewise, Valla was impressed with Naruto's stealth. From their initial meeting, she got the impression that he was loud and boisterous, but soon discovered that he actually _could_ tone it down and get down to business so to speak. To her minor surprise, when they finished killing all of the Coven on board the ship and disposed of their bodies overboard, Naruto furled the sails and dropped the anchor knowing they were a little while away from their destination.

"Why drop the anchor here, didn't you want to get to the Coven's hideout to save the others they have taken?"

"Yes, but I don't want them to take notice of the ship right away, so they won't know we're coming and gather more of their forces to help transport their captives. We still have a couple hours of darkness to cover us so we can get some reconnaissance of the place so I can find and secure their other prisoners."

"Okay, but how are we going to get there if we can't even see the place ourselves? Do you expect us to swim in the same direction we were heading until we hit some land?"

"Oh, I can already see the place we were heading, and it isn't exactly what I would call an inhabitable island."

"You can see out in this darkness?"

"Sure can. I have pretty good vision in the dark and I can see a lot farther than a normal person. This place is probably just over an hour away by boat."

"That is impressive. Demon Hunters like myself train extensively in darkness to heighten our senses, but not even I can see very far out in the darkness of the ocean, especially with the clouds overhead covering the moonlight. Now, how do you expect us to get there with enough time. It would probably take us until dawn to swim that far, and our cover would be broken."

"I can get us there in a couple of minutes from here so don't worry about that. We'll still have plenty of cover from the night to get there unnoticed."

"Very well, do you know a teleporting spell that would get us there quickly?"

"Nope."

"Then what exactly is your plan?"

"Hop on my back!" Naruto said with a cheesy grin while turning to point at his back.

Valla responded in deadpan, not believing what she thinks he's suggesting. "Excuse me?"

"Come on, haven't you ever had a piggy back ride before. Whoa whoa whoa!" Naruto immediately put up his hands in a placating manner as Valla pointed her two crossbows at him with a scowl on her face. "Take it easy, haha haa. So, _not_ a piggy back ride, we don't have to call it that! Um, sorry but this is really the quickest way and you don't even have to do anything. I'll run us there over the ocean, unless you can run on water too. Uh, can you?"

"No, and you are saying that _you_ can?"

"I can. I know it's not something you see everyday but it's true, I can really walk on water. Hehehe, you should have seen Li-Ming's and Nazeebo's reaction when they found out I could walk on water, it was hilarious."

* * *

 _Flashback_

 _Nazeebo, Li-Ming and Naruto were currently traveling west to their new destination and had been out of the Torajan Jungles for a few hours now. Nazeebo and Li-Ming were in front wading through thigh deep and murky waters, not particularly enjoying this part of their journey. There is a reason why they call it the Marshlands after all._

" _I've never been here before, but I absolutely detest the Marshlands! Remind me to never come here again!"_

" _Yes, the Umbaru stay away from these lands for the most part. The resources here hold little value for my people."_

" _Come on guys, it's not that bad. I'd make us a boat but these marshes are sporadic, so we'd either keep hitting land in between the marshes too often or we would have to curve around the waterways north and south which would take us even longer to get out of here. And I for one think the scenery looks nice."_

 _Li-Ming and Nazeebo stopped in their tracks to turn around to see why Naruto wasn't complaining and stared as they saw him standing on top of the water, not knowing he could do that. As the awe wore off from seeing their companion do something else they have never seen before, their moods turned sour knowing that he has been walking leisurely behind them this whole time while they have been trudging away in the mud._

" _You can walk on water?" Li-Ming said in a calm voice but anyone could probably tell she was anything but calm, except for maybe Naruto._

" _Yup, I learned when I was a kid. It's also a good exercise for chakra control, even though I don't really need to anymore, but it sure does come in handy when I need it."_

" _And you didn't tell us this before, because?"_

 _Naruto just shrugged his shoulders and replied. "Nobody asked if I could walk on water."_

"… _Why the hell would anyone ask another person that question?! This whole time you've just been taking a leisurely stroll on the marshes while we have been lumbering through this swamp with gods know what else is swimming around in here, and you don't have the decency to tell us that you can walk on top of this god forsaken swampland?!"_

" _Um… maybe?" Li-Ming in her anger slung some of the sludge she was walking in at Naruto trying to get him to feel as dirty as she does, but quick on his feet he managed to dodge it. "Hey! Don't throw that shit at me! Do you have any idea what's in that stuff, that's gross!" His words just seemed to enrage Li-Ming further as she yelled out in anger and started to fire off magic projectiles at him._

" _Stay still Naruto, so I can hurt you!"_

" _You're not trying to hurt me, you're trying to kill me! Help me out Nazeebo!"_

" _Very well." After Nazeebo's confirmation, Naruto saw a summoning circle beneath him just under the surface of the water as a school of piranhas started jumping out at him trying to bite him, but he still dodged it nonetheless._

" _Awe come on! Are you mad too?! I said help ME, not her!"_

" _It will only hurt for a moment."_

" _Moment my ass!"_

 _After about fifteen minutes of dodging and eventually getting out of their range, everyone settled down and took a breather. Li-Ming having calmed down, but still upset, called out to Naruto in a strained voice with clenched teeth. "Get, over here Naruto."_

" _Are you still gonna shoot at me?"_

" _No."_

" _You don't really sound too convincing."_

" _(sigh) I am not going to attack you anymore, okay."_

" _Alright, but I got my eyes on you." Naruto approached Li-Ming and Nazeebo cautiously, but they made no movement to engage him again as he stopped in front of them. "Okay, so now what?"_

" _Now, since you are such a good person and don't want to see your companions suffer anymore, you are going to carry us the rest of the way across."_

" _Suffering is a little melodramatic don't you think? It's just a swamp."_

" _You are going to carry us over the swamp!" Li-Ming said with anger still straining her voice trying to get her point across._

" _Alright alright, jeez!"_

" _Good!" Li-Ming said in a cheery voice with a smile on her face._

 _Naruto looked down at Li-Ming still sunk into the marsh as she held her arms out like a child asking their parents to pick them up. Naruto thought it was a bit adorable since it reminded him of Himawari, and his other granddaughters but also weird since Li-Ming is a grown woman. "Man! You're gonna get me all dirty!"_

" _Deal with it!" Letting out a sigh Naruto at least sealed his coat away before he picked up Li-Ming and threw her on his back getting his shirt and back all wet and dirty. "No no no, I don't want any wandering hands so put me on your shoulders."_

" _Really?! You think so poorly of me like that, after all this time!"_

" _Hahaha, I'm only half joking, and we haven't known each other_ that _long. Besides don't you need your hands to use most of your techniques, anyway."_

" _Yes, but that's not the point!"_

" _I'm only joking Naruto, now quit pouting and put me on your shoulders. I want to see this_ view _you're so gung ho over." Grumbling to himself, Naruto set Li-Ming on his shoulders then created a shadow clone to take Nazeebo. The clone reached out a hand for Nazeebo to grab but he just looked at the original Naruto with Li-Ming sitting on his shoulders and did not want to imagine himself in the same position or even on his back for any reason._

'Nope, I will not subject myself to this humiliation.' _Nazeebo thought to himself as he turned to Naruto and Li-Ming. "I am fine here, so no thank you."_

" _Come on Nazeebo, with Naruto carrying us we'll make it over these swamps much faster."_

" _Still, I must decline."_

" _Yeah, I can see where you're coming from. Unless you're injured or can't walk, it's pretty awkward for a guy to carry another guy around like that. So I_ _can_ _respect_ _that_ _."_ _With that the clone dispelled and they began to march along while Naruto kept in pace with Nazeebo to not leave him behind._

" _Ugh! You men and your dignity!"_

" _Hey! Sometimes that's all a man has left!"_

" _Whatever, I'm sure you look real dignified right now, right?"_

" _It's different when a man carries a woman. It just shows how much of a gentleman I am."_

" _You could have been a gentleman two hours ago!"_

"… _Good point." After about another ten minutes of going through the swamp, Naruto had an idea that he voiced to Nazeebo. "Hey, why don't you summon that Gargantuan guy to help you through the marsh?"_

 _T_ _hey stopped walking as Naruto and Li-Ming stared at Nazeebo to see what he would do. Lucky for him, his mask hid the embarrassment of not thinking of the idea sooner as he did summon his Gargantuan. As it rose out of the swamp still towering over Naruto and Li-Ming by a few feet, it looked to Nazeebo for instructions for his summoning and all Nazeebo did was point at Naruto and Li-Ming on his shoulders. After a few moments of the Gargantuan piecing things together, it finally understood and then grabbed Nazeebo and put him on one of his shoulders as they began their march again at a_ _much_ _quicker pace._ _After a while Naruto and Li-Ming couldn't hold in their snickering at how funny it looked with Nazeebo being carried like that. Nazeebo tried to ignore them but their constant whispering and quick glances his way put him over the edge._

" _Speak of this to anyone and I will curse you." He said in an even tone not even bothering to look their way as he spoke. His statement just caused them to burst out in laughter and trying to give sincere apologies but it just wouldn't come to them. "Now I remember why I usually preferred to travel alone." They just laughed harder._

 _End Flashback_

* * *

"See, funny right?"

" _Hysterical_."

"Wow, you're just brimming with sarcasm today aren't you? You could give Li-Ming a run for her money."

"Let's just get this over with. And if you touch me the wrong way or make any snide remarks I _will_ shoot you." Valla said with narrowed eyes at Naruto.

"Man, what is with you women thinking I'm some pervert or something."

"First off, I don't know you, and secondly, all men are perverts. Some just hide it better than others."

"Ouch. That hurts."

"The truth often does."

"It certainly does. Well, we better get moving." Naruto turned his back to her and crouched down to let her get on his back. Valla soon did so with some reluctance, making sure he didn't put his hands anywhere they shouldn't be and was thankful that he didn't, just holding her beneath her knees. "You're gonna want to hold on tight."

"Wh…" Valla couldn't finish her question as Naruto jumped off the ship and began running across the ocean at a speed she wasn't prepared for. Her pride refused to allow her to yell out in surprise but she did quickly tightened her grip around his neck and waist with her arms and legs.

Naruto didn't run at full speed in order to be careful not to create unnatural waves that could get them spotted, and in a few short minutes they came to the north side of the craggy shores of a large rock formation. With Valla still on his back he jumped up and climbed to the top of the small mountain to overlook the south side.

"They've certainly been busy." said Valla.

"Yeah, fifteen ships total just anchored off the southern coast, no signs of life on them either. I guess those squid didn't just destroy every ship out on the ocean. They were using them to capture passenger ships too."

"Yes, maybe they only destroyed the Askari ships. All of these ships match the various designs that come out of the Khanduras region."

"Right, that dumb lackey said they wanted my summons to destroy the Askari fleet so the pirates could invade with no trouble."

"Pirates are involved in this too?"

"Yeah, he said the pirates are the ones who hired them in the first place. They apparently want to take control of the Skovos Isles."

"I see. This is an old rivalry from centuries ago."

"What do you mean?"

"This isn't the first time pirates fought against the Amazons for control over Skovos. The first time the Amazons barely held them off because they ran out of supplies and arrows. It wasn't until their goddess Athulua gave them aid by giving them the ability to harness their natural spirit energies to give them unparalleled mastery of the bow. Something that I wish to learn myself. It is the reason I was coming to Philios to participate in the games and see what I can learn from the worlds greatest archers."

"Games huh? I'd love to hear more about all this but we should start soon. I think I see the mouth of a cave down there. The only place they can keep anything on this rock would have to be inside it. There's not enough flat surface to build anything stable on the outside."

"I don't see any guards or any type of warning traps laid out. They must have been very certain they would get no unwanted company."

"Arrogance. The primary downfall of anyone."

"And their downfall begins today."

Naruto and Valla, under her own power, quietly climbed half way down the rocky slope on the south side and landed silently on either side of the cave mouth and out of sight. There were no guards or traps like they suspected and there really wasn't anything to indicate this was anything but an ordinary cave. They both cautiously walked in and couldn't go any further than about twenty feet before they hit nothing but stone walls.

"What the hell, there's nothing here?"

"Perhaps a cave was too obvious an entrance. Maybe they _aren't_ as stupid as we thought they were."

"Well where the hell is it? I know they're here, all those ships aren't anchored out there for shits and giggles."

"Do I look like I would know such a thing? I'm in the dark here just as much as you are. There's probably a secret entrance that can only be opened through one of their spells, which neither of us would know. We didn't exactly bother with interrogating one of the Coven for further information about their hideout."

"Yeah, I guess that's my fault. After my first encounter with that dumb lackey, I just kinda thought they were all pretty dumb too. Didn't think I would get any useful information out of them."

"What's done is done. There is nothing we can do about it now, but if we try to force our way in it will definitely alert them to our presence and our element of surprise would be lost."

"Well I'm just gonna have to make an entrance the quiet way then." Valla just raised an eyebrow wondering what he would do as he knelt down and placed his hands on the ground.

' _Shukaku! Help me out here!'_

' _Finally! I get to kill something!'_

' _Well if you mean kill some rocks and turn them to sand, then sure.'_

' _That's it! I don't want to waste my chakra just to make some sand!'_

' _Fine you big baby! I'll use the sand we make to crush some Coven members, you happy now?'_

'… _A little.'_

' _While we're at it let's try to find a tunnel or something so we have some kind of starting point.'_

' _Yeah, yeah.'_

Valla looked on in silent wonder as the rock in front of him began to erode away creating particles of sand that began to float around them in growing quantities. "So this is how you're making an entrance?"

"That's right, it's pretty fast and quiet but the tunnel that I can feel through the rock seems to be a few meters down. So it should take me a few more minutes or so."

Valla waited patiently as the hole in front of them continued to grow deeper and the space around her was filled with more sand. She watched intrigued as the sand began to coalesce around Naruto and began to form a dark gray gourd on Naruto's back that had some blue markings that looked like thick veins around it.

"I'm through. I'll head in first to make sure the coast is clear and I'll send you a signal to follow."

"Very well, I'll wait for your signal."

Naruto nodded to her and jumped in head first spreading his hands and feet against the walls to slide quietly down the smooth hole until his eyes could peek out and look around for anyone. There was no one there in that dimly lit stretch of hallway and no rooms or doors that he could see. He gave Valla the go-ahead by sending some sand up to her that gave her a double thumbs up with two hands. She just stared at them in slight exasperation at how he still could be annoyingly cheerful through all this. She just chose to ignore it and jumped in using her hands to slow her descent and landed gracefully beside Naruto.

"Fuck."

"What is it?"

"Blood, I can smell a lot of blood already, and demons. That bastard told me it took a lot of sacrifices to summon those demon squid but I don't think they just stopped there." Naruto took some time to concentrate some more and found what he was looking for. "I can at least sense some fear in this direction so there must be some survivors they haven't gotten to yet."

"So you really can sense emotions?" Valla noticed that his entire demeanor changed now and this is the most serious she has seen him, it actually surprised her a bit.

"Yes, but I have to concentrate to use it effectively. Fortunately the fear I sense isn't erratic or overbearingly distressing right now. So I don't think they're doing any rituals this early in the morning. The Coven is most likely still sleeping. We still have some time to find their prisoners and get them out without too much interference."

"How did you plan to transport everyone out safely?"

"Don't worry, that's the easy part. Just leave the prisoners to me and you can focus on putting an end to the Coven. Except the leader if you find him, he's our best bet of getting any information out of. I'll leave a clone with you for backup." said Naruto and then creating a shadow clone who stood beside Valla to follow her down the opposite path from where the captives are.

"I won't need it."

"I wasn't really asking if you did." Naruto noticed her giving him an angry stare and tried to placate her. "There's nothing wrong with getting a little help you know. I'm not trying to say you're weak or that you need the help. I would just rather you have someone to watch your back just in case. I'm sorry if you took it that way but I don't know how strong the demons they summoned are so I'd feel better if you weren't alone."

Valla's hard look softened a little after his explanation as she let out a deep breath and spoke to him. "Very well, and… thank you for the concern, but what about yourself."

"You're welcome and don't worry about me, I'm never alone, so I'll be alright. He'll stay out of your way for the most part and he'll be on the look out for any more intel on their operations, but he's just a shadow clone so one good hit and he'll dispel."

"Screw you boss!"

"(sigh) They also like to be pricks sometimes."

"I learned it from watching you!"

"Shut up you idiot! If you get overwhelmed he can create more clones that should turn the tables on them instead. He's a safety precaution and your escape plan if things get too hairy or it's time to go."

Valla could only watch the display between clone and original and couldn't help but think it somewhat disturbing since he's basically insulting himself. _'That can't be healthy.'_ She was brought out of her musings when she realized the last part of what he had said. "Do you think I can't find my way back to your exit?"

"I'm sure you can but we won't be leaving that way."

"And what way are we leaving?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

"Very well, good hunting."

"You too Valla."

With that the three parted ways with Valla and a clone going down one pathway and Naruto with his gourd, trying to sate a bored and a still violent Shukaku, going down another where he sensed the captives would be.

* * *

Naruto walked down the hall and after several minutes he happened upon a couple of Coven members roaming the hall that he crushed with his sand as quickly and silently as he could. He then walked passed a few rooms that absolutely reeked of blood and he assumed was where they performed their rituals. He really despised acts like this, he didn't _want_ to understand how humans could treat each other this way. He knew his goal was to save as many lives as he could but he felt that these Coven members completely deserved to be ended, there was just no other way.

' _Don't think about it too much Naruto. You know this has to be done, otherwise they would just prey on other people.'_

' _It isn't that Kurama, I just hate seeing shit like this. And I can't help but think if I'm disappointing anyone I love about killing these people so casually like this.'_

' _Hmph, I wouldn't exactly call them people. They threw away their humanity long ago.'_

' _He's right Naruto-kun, calling them people gives them far too much credit. And I wouldn't worry about your loved ones being disappointed. They all know how hard it is for you to do these things, they all know how big your heart is and how much every kill weighs on you. I would think they would be more disappointed if you_ didn't _put an end to these monsters. And your wife would be more worried about you and what you're going through.'_

' _I know she would, she is far too good to me. Thanks Matatabi, and thank all of you for being here with me. I'd probably go crazy if I was doing this on my own.'_

' _Don't get all mushy on us brat. You did us all a favor by taking us with you. We're all actually safer with you than remaining in the Elemental Nations. Eventually some egomaniac would get it in his head that the Biju were meant to be their weapons like the shinobi of old thought.'_

' _Yes Naruto-san, we are all grateful for this new journey we have set upon. And we know that you don't see us as weapons but as comrades and friends. We would all lend you our strength willingly. And I for one am grateful that I have my family with me again.'_ Kokuo said to Naruto and all the Biju voiced their agreement with her. He could tell Kurama did too even though he wouldn't voice it out loud for anyone to hear. They were all happy to be together again like when they were with their father.

' _Besides Naruto, you wouldn't be alone for long without us anyway. You already have two friends that you can put your trust in and already working on a third, and if you keep your promise to the missus you would eventually find someone you could devote yourself to in the future.'_ said Gyuki.

' _Hahaha, I guess so huh. But with the way this world is I don't think I'll find anyone like that with so much going on. I don't think I can focus on romance with how much evil is in this world.'_

Kurama gave a devious smirk thinking of a way rile up his partner. _'I don't know about that brat, plenty of you shinobi find love in a battlefield, so I don't think there's anything to worry about on that front. You know, come to think of it,_ _how about this new vixen you met up with, she seems nice doesn't she?'_

' _Valla? I don't know, she doesn't seem to like me that much and with all the hate I sensed coming from her, I don't think she's really looking for a romantic partner right now.'_

' _But doesn't she remind you of someone?'_

' _What are you talking about?'_

' _Come on brat. The black hair, the hatred and vengeance rolling off of her, the glowing... red… eyes.'_ Naruto was sporting rapid tick marks across his head not liking where this was going. _'You could finally relive that famous first kiss of yours in this new world with the right gender this time_ _no less,_ _don't you think?'_

' _Oh? What famous first kiss is this? I thought Hinata was your first?'_ asked a curious Matatabi with the other Biju nodding in agreement curious as well.

' _No.'_

' _Nope she wasn't the first by a long shot. Haven't you seen the memories?'_

' _No!'_

' _No, can't say that I have. We've all looked through_ some _memories but we have hardly seen them all.'_

' _Noo!'_

' _Well let me show you, I know exactly where they are.'_

' _Nooo!'_

Kurama showed all the Biju Naruto's memory of when he was knocked into Sasuke giving both boys each their first kiss and their reactions afterwards. All of them were silent for a moment until they all burst out in hysterical laughter quickly finding it hard to breathe. They kept watching it over and over unable to stop laughing and Naruto couldn't take it anymore.

"GAAAAAH! I FUCKING HATE YOU KURAMA!" Unable to contain himself and wailing his arms in the air, Naruto screamed out loud essentially blowing his cover as Coven members in rooms close by started to wake and demons were alerted to his presence as they all started to converge on him. Even though he was still fuming he had the presence of mind to try and quickly get out of the hallway before he was cornered on two sides all the while the Biju were still laughing and Naruto was still cursing like a sailor.

' _Don't you see, he now has the chance to share a life with his greatest rival's gender-bent reincarnation.'_

'' _BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!''_ All of the Biju laughed even harder if that were possible, from the possibility of Naruto's eternal rival, Sasuke, being reincarnated in another world as a woman so he could spend his life with again.

"YOU FUCKING GODDAMNED FURBALL! I'M GONNA SHOVE A FUCKING RASENSHURIKEN UP YOUR ASS YOU HEAR ME!"

Naruto's continued cursing just made them all continue to laugh but he kept running through the hallway passing other corridors that he could feel more enemies coming from and cutting down more goatmen and some other demons he has yet to see until he burst through large steel double doors in his anger and embarrassment not caring that the doors smashed and killed two Coven members. The room he entered was circular in shape and very large and it was the room he was looking for as it had iron cells in which they kept their prisoners in. There was five levels of cells that reached the ceiling and there were more than five hundred people captured and still alive, but he could tell from the ones he initially saw that they were in rough shape.

The prisoners who easily heard his yelling were awoken and became afraid that the leader of this Coven was having a bad day and would take it out on them as they watched the entrance to their prison with trepidation. They were all alarmed when the prison doors were suddenly smashed in, watching as the two Coven guards were crushed and a blonde man still cursing in anger stood on top of the doors. They all watched him as it looked like he finally calmed down once he saw where he was. Those who were close enough to see his face could see that he had a look of concern when he saw all of them and hope began to rise in them thinking he may have come to save them.

Naruto forgot his previous anger once he saw the prisoners, and the Biju stopped their laughter once they saw what Naruto could see. He could see that much of them needed medical attention from the horrible conditions they were in. They were all hungry and thirsty, the Coven probably just barely gave them enough to stay alive since it looked like they needed fresh blood for their rituals. He could hear the stampeding demons running his way giving off deep growls and grunts as they came. These new demons he cut through while running down the hall were blue skinned zombies that each carried a sword with jagged teeth running down its edge, they ran with a hunched over gait and were definitely faster than the goatmen.

Naruto gave himself some more room and jumped to the center of the circular prison where all prisoners could see him clearly. He turned around to await the coming horde so he could finish them all at once. _'_ _Are you all done laughing at me now?'_

' _Oh man, that was a good one!'_

' _Alright you damn murder-happy raccoon! Do you want to help with this or not?!'_

' _Hell yeah I do!'_

Naruto waited until all the enemies he sensed following him were all in the room and there were over a hundred demons and Coven members that entered. None of them attacked right away because they were waiting for the signal from their leading Coven member who was taking his time walking to the front to confront Naruto. Normally he would have waited for the Coven member to start jawing at the mouth because he liked to hear some of their dumb banter before a fight, but he was still angry and annoyed from earlier so he just wanted to get this over with already, not really caring if the Coven member walking forward was the actual leader.

He lifted up his arms and spread his hands out in a familiar gesture that his good friend Gaara was famous for and all the sand he packed into his gourd, which was a lot more than one would think, immediately rushed out catching them all off guard from the sudden attack as the sand captured every single enemy in front of him and lifted them all in the air. All the demons were growling in anger and most of the Coven members were shocked and demanded to be released. All of the prisoners looked on in awe at the sight of the Coven and their demons being rendered helpless and more hope began to fill their bodies as they saw them rise into the air. Naruto feeling the hopes rising in the prisoners felt a little nostalgic and decided to call out the name of the attack to finally give these people some sense of peace to see their jailers put down.

"Sand Burial!" Naruto clenched his fists tightly as all the sand coffins imploded with blood showering the floor and the cries of the demons and Coven members rang out briefly before all was silenced. After a few moments, cheers of joy could be heard from the prisoners while some broke down crying and praying that their nightmare was finally over. Naruto didn't want to disappoint them so he created hundreds of shadow clones to release the prisoners and break their bonds. The clones already knew what to do without being told and once they each freed the prisoners from their shackles they began to disappear in yellow flashes.

The clones all grabbed a hold of someone and used the Hiraishin to appear at the cave entrance in groups, where Naruto had placed a marker previously. Once outside they ran to the anchored ships sitting in the ocean and separated the people by how serious their medical needs were. Naruto didn't want to try to heal these people all at once and most of them wouldn't need for him to enter Six Paths Sage Mode so he would only do it for those who desperately needed it which is why he wanted them separated. If there were families that were taken and needed to be separated, the clones assured them that they would be brought back together again shortly.

Once all the prisoners were safely out of their prison, Naruto Hiraishined to the entrance as well and made his way to the boat that held the people who needed the most attention. Luckily there were only a little more than thirty people that needed his help right away and the rest of the people on the other ships only needed some minor field medic work that the clones could provide themselves, or food and water which he also had stored in scrolls. Naruto began right away on the deck of one ship where the clones laid the worst off people to rest as he used his barrier kunai and entered Six Paths Sage Mode to begin his work.

* * *

"GAAAAAH! I FUCKING HATE YOU KURAMA!"

"Well, the boss definitely lost his cover."

"What was that about?"

"Um… don't know. The boss is weird like that."

"Doesn't that make you weird as well."

"What?! No way, I'm way cooler than that guy."

"Whatever you say mister one-hit wonder."

"Oh come on! You're gonna hold that against me!"

"YOU FUCKING GODDAMNED FURBALL! I'M GONNA SHOVE A FUCKING RASENSHURIKEN UP YOUR ASS YOU HEAR ME!"

"See?! How can I not be cooler than that! That guy's got problems."

"You won't hear any arguments from me."

Valla and Naruto's shadow clone continued walking down the hallway casually while killing the errant enemy who ran into them while running to investigate the yelling down on the west side of their base. It looked like the majority of their enemies were down where Naruto went as they only killed over a dozen demons and Coven members that they ran into.

"I know what goatmen are but what are these other demons that we've run into called?"

"They're called ghouls. They are a part of the undead, but unlike zombies that will eat both the living and dead, they only eat corpses and are much faster and stronger than regular zombies. They say the more corpses a ghoul eats, the stronger they will get."

"That's just wrong."

"Many things in this world are."

"You got that right. Man, trying to fix everything is going to take forever." The clone said while mumbling the last part to himself.

"What was that second thing you said?"

"Nothing, just rambling to myself."

Valla decided to help the clone search any rooms that looked to have information in them but they only found some personal journals that only showed how depraved these Coven members were. They finally happened upon a door that stood out amongst the others along the corridor and felt that it probably held the leader of this Coven. They were quite sure they were far enough on the other side of the base that the original Naruto's yelling couldn't be heard this far which is why they met with even fewer resistance this far along.

The clone using the decades of experience of shinobi training easily picked the lock to the door and they indeed found the leader of the Coven there asleep in his bed. They could tell it was the leader because this room was by far more elaborately decorated than the others and had far more luxuries as well, something only a leader would have for himself.

"We'll just let the boss handle interrogating him. I don't really want to deal with it." As he spoke the leader began to stir from hearing a voice in his room but before he could awake any further a fist made contact with his head rendering him unconscious again. "I'll pick him up on our way out. Let's just search his room for anything else and we'll be on our way."

"We still haven't checked the whole base yet."

"We don't need to. I can tell that there's a lot more demons further down below us in a separate level of this base. It's too many to let you handle on your own right now and we'll get what we need from this room and the leader. The boss is already saving the prisoners and will be done shortly so we can leave as well."

"I thought he wanted to finish off all the enemies in this base. We can't just leave with all those demons still here."

"Oh no no no, this place is going to be blown sky high, but we have to get out of the range of the blast before that happens."

"How do you plan to blow up what is essentially a small mountain?"

"Trust me, we are very talented in the makings of explosions. It's one of our specialties." The clone gave Valla a wide grin knowing his creator has changed many landscapes before, and a small mountain was nothing to Naruto.

Valla stared at the clone with suspicion and annoyance, not liking getting vague answers from him. She wanted to go down there and finish off all those demons herself but if there really was that many she couldn't risk being killed, there was too much left for her to do. She would just have to make sure the original Naruto would ensure that their enemies would not escape vengeance this day. "Fine, let's get this over with already."

"Yes ma'am!"

They're conversation over, Valla and the clone searched the room for journals or any kind of documents and just took what they found to go over later. When they were done the clone slung the unconscious leader over his shoulder and placed a hand on Valla's shoulder. She narrowed her eyes at the clone but couldn't say anything when she found herself outside on a boat with the ocean air hitting her face. The boat was already on its way around the rocky island with more clones manning the ship and who she suspected were the prisoners of the Coven who kept thanking all the clones for rescuing them, they all looked exhausted but content that they were saved.

"Yo Valla, you guys done already? I see you brought me a present, you shouldn't have!"

Valla turned around looking for the one speaking to her until she found one of the Narutos looking directly at her. "Are you the original then?"

"That'd be me!"

She took another look around and even saw other ships sailing alongside the boat she was on with even more clones manning those ships as well. "How is it you can create so many replicas of yourself without being severely fatigued?"

"I was born with abnormally large reserves of chakra and it just kept growing as I grew older. This isn't even that many clones to me, I could make much more than this if I need to."

"I see. So that is what you call your energy then, chakra?"

"That's right. It's a mixture of physical and spiritual energies that flow throughout my body. What do you call your energy?"

"My Hatred is what fuels me, but Discipline keeps my mind clear and my body safe. Only those who have learned to master their hatred through discipline can truly call themselves Demon Hunter."

"I thought it might be something like that."

"What do you mean?"

"When I first felt your presence on the ship I could feel the hatred rolling off of you in waves. At first I thought you were another enemy I would have to fight but despite the hatred I felt I could sense no ill intent aimed towards me. It was actually the first time I felt something like that; it was like a brush fire that just refused to spread even with plenty of fuel around to feed it. It actually impressed me, heck I'm still impressed! I've seen a lot of people who couldn't keep their hatred from consuming them, and it's not pretty."

"I am very aware of that also. I've seen several aspiring Demon Hunters try to master their hatred only to fail. They did not live for long in this world."

"That's a shame."

"Yes, it was."

"You know, if you want to talk about it my ears are wide open."

"What?"

"I know the hatred you harbor didn't just pop into your mind randomly. When I mentioned the piggy back ride earlier you reacted violently, so I can guess that you lost someone precious to you when they were young. Probably a sibling or maybe your own child even." After his words Valla just gave him a cold stare, clearly indicating she did not want to discuss such things. Naruto responded by putting his hands in the air in a placating manner. "Sorry, I'm not trying to force you to do anything you don't want, especially to a stranger you just met. Talking about painful memories of the past is difficult but it can lessen the pain over time. I'll leave you be for now."

Valla just watched as Naruto walked away, a frown marring her face. She didn't want to talk about her past not because it hurt her, but because her hatred was a part of her; lessening her pain would only lessen her hatred. She swore vengeance against all demon-spawn on the graves of her family and she would not forget her oath to them. Her sister… _may_ have been a touchy subject, but the memory of her sister is also what keeps her so disciplined. Her sister would want her to survive and live in this cold world and she would do her damnedest to do so and not allow her hatred to consume her, rushing her to an early grave.

Naruto walked away from Valla knowing he might have been trying to pry a little too soon with her; they only just met a few hours ago so she has no reason to trust him so soon. He went into the captain's chamber of the boat he was on where his clone put the captured Coven leader and the documents they found in his room so he could look them over and get through with interrogating him. About thirty minutes later with some yelling and screaming coming from the captain's cabin, Naruto came out having gathered all the information he could get out of the man and his documents.

The sunrise had already started lighting up the sky and the small fleet of merchant and passenger ships caught up to the anchored boat that Valla and Naruto had been on initially. Naruto felt that the ships would be well enough out of harms way from the upcoming destruction he was about to unleash on the Coven hideout, and made his way to the rear of the ship to jump out onto the ocean towards the hideout to give himself some more space from the ships.

Valla saw Naruto exit the cabin and make his way towards the back of the ship and was curious as to what he found out, and made her way towards him. "So what did you find out?"

Naruto turned towards her from hearing her question and responded. "I'll tell you on our way back, first I'm going to destroy their base."

"Did you kill their leader? Where is he?"

"I didn't kill him yet, I took him back to their hideout so he can go down with it. I'll be right back."

Naruto was about to jump off the boat when Valla's voice made him pause. "I want to see."

"Huh?"

"I want to make sure your clone wasn't lying to me when he said you would destroy the remaining demons. As a Demon Hunter I have vowed to vanquish all hell-spawn that comes before me. I did not appreciate having to abandon that hideout before vengeance could be completed."

"Alright then, but you'll have to get on my back again. I can't launch this attack too close to the boats so I have to create some distance between us."

Valla just sighed in exasperation as she did not like having to be carried in such a way but it _was_ her request so she would have to deal with it. It was fortunate, or unfortunate depending who you asked, that Valla and the clones would be the only ones to witness some of Naruto's power this time. All the rescued prisoners, having been treated already, and the overwhelming joy of being saved just added to their exhaustion and they all made their way below the decks of the ships to finally be able to rest comfortably, so they would not bear witness to the upcoming sight.

Naruto ran some distance across the ocean and stopped with still some considerable distance from the island. "Uh, I'm gonna have to let you down, cuz I'll need one of my hands, but you can stand on my foot so you don't have to just float in the ocean. We'll just have to hold on to each others waists so you don't fall down." Valla just gave her silent compliance since she had no room to argue, and climbed off of Naruto's back and stood on his left foot like he said with one of their arms wrapped around the other. Naruto formed two small wooden pieces from his chakra in his free right hand and handed them to Valla. "You're gonna need these."

"What are they?"

"Earplugs." She gave him a questioning look not quite understanding. "It's gonna get really loud so you'll need them." Before she put them on he couldn't help but voice one more thing. "Man, Li-Ming's gonna be so jealous of you!"

"You keep saying the names of this Li-Ming and this other fellow but I have no idea who they are."

"Li-Ming and Nazeebo are traveling with me, so you'll see them once we get back to Philios."

"So why would she be jealous of me?"

"Because I know she's been wanting to see more of my attack power since she's met me. All I've ever really shown her are my physical capabilities and healing abilities and maybe a few elemental techniques, and I just _know_ she's been dying to see what else I'm capable of. It's been fun seeing her pout when she doesn't see me fight with different attacks, since she's so curious."

"That's a little cruel don't you think?"

"Maybe, but she'll get to see what I'm about to show you and more eventually, so I'm not that guilty about it."

Valla didn't bother to respond and just put the earplugs in, indicating to Naruto that she's ready. She watched as Naruto raised his right hand in the air and saw him form a ball of energy hovering above his palm, then her eyes became wide as the ball grew to mammoth proportions almost as if he were holding a small planet on the palm of his hand. That's when she heard the ringing in her ears and what looked like giant white blades were rapidly spinning around the giant ball. She felt the wind pick up rapidly with the two of them at the epicenter and waves of water rolling away from them. Unknown to her was that all the boats began to pick up speed from the wind while the clones continued to man the ships in the direction of Philios.

Naruto gave a great heave and threw the giant ball of wind infused chakra, much to her surprise, and saw it sail extremely rapidly towards the island, faster than she would expect it to. She watched with rapt attention as it collided with the side of the island hideout and it expanded to nearly thrice its size, as the explosive force of the attack would have surely knocked her over if she wasn't holding onto Naruto. She had to briefly cover her eyes from the force of the winds, but once they died down she looked up to see that the small rocky island no longer existed. She just stood there not getting the full grasp of what just happened, her eyes wide and mouth agape. It wasn't until she felt the earplugs being pulled from her ears and a familiar voice spoke to her.

"You're gonna start catching flies if you leave your mouth open that long."

"What…" She tore her gaze away from the now clear ocean and had to know what she just saw. "What the hell was that?!"

" _That,_ was Wind Release: Super Giant Rasenshuriken. One of my more deadly attacks, causes a lot of collateral damage. Really good for destroying things. Hmm… I guess I have a lot of attacks that destroy things. Man, I've cause so much property damage. I'm surprised they didn't fine me for all that shit. I would have been _so_ broke." Towards the end of his statements Naruto was basically talking to himself but with Valla so close she heard everything.

"Just what _are_ you?"

"Me? I'm the greatest Sage alive!"

' _Tch, I guess you're technically right.'_ said Kurama thinking of his father.

' _That's why I said it! Technically right is still right!'_

' _I don't know Kurama, Naruto just may be able to give our old man a run for his money.'_ said Saiken.

' _What?! Old man sage would tear him apart, especially without our help!'_

' _That may or may not be, but even so, Naruto is the one who father foretold who would show us what true power is. You cannot deny that Naruto is the one to bring us together in a way that not even father could have done.'_ said Gyuki, and all the other Biju voiced their agreement with Gyuki.

' _Tch, whatever.'_

'Someone's _got daddy issues.'_ The other Biju let out chuckles hearing that.

' _Shut your hole Uzumaki!'_

' _What, you don't like it Kurama. Why don't you go cry to your daddy!'_ The Biju started laughing louder now seeing Kurama get even angrier.

' _I WILL DEVOUR YOU WHOLE YOU MEAT BAG!'_

' _Hahaha, you don't like it when the shoe's on the other foot do you fuzz butt?!'_ Naruto was brought out of his inner conversations and ignored Kurama's angered ramblings when he heard Valla speak.

"I think… I think I need to rest for a bit." said Valla, a little overwhelmed with what she just witnessed. She has never seen a single human unleash so much power, not even any of the demons she has seen could be capable of such destruction.

"You're right, let's get back to the ship." Naruto Hiraishined them back to the ship where he led her to the captain's cabin. "Here, you go ahead and rest in there. I'll be out here making sure nothing else happens."

"Didn't you just interrogate the Coven leader in there?"

"Yeah, I did."

"I would rather not sleep in whatever mess you made in there."

"There's no mess in there. I don't need to torture people to get them to talk you know."

"But the screaming."

"I was basically just scaring the shit out of him… uh, not literally though. Even though the bastard had no problem dealing pain to others, the prospect of being tortured himself had him singing like a canary. He was just a coward."

"Pathetic trash. Very well then, I'll take up your offer and rest here."

"I'll let you know when we land back on Philios."

"Please do."

* * *

Naruto's wood clone back in Philios was walking back up the steps to the palace throne room to inform them of some new information he had received from the dispelled clones made by the original. It was mid morning by now and he had left Li-Ming and Nazeebo to continue resting back on their ship. Nazeebo was already awake again but was busy with what would usually be his early morning rituals but is instead doing it now because of their lost sleep last night. Li-Ming as per usual was sleeping in and he didn't want to risk getting hit with an arcane orb so he left her be.

He passed a couple of Zarae guards who nodded their head at him, allowing him entry since they knew he would be here again if he had more information. When he got to the entrance of the throne room he was stopped by another Zarae Amazon.

"The Queens have yet to reawaken so the thrones are unoccupied at the moment. But the Generals will hear what you have to say, so follow me." The warrior led him to another room which was the official war room of the Askari. It contained two similar thrones for the Queens at the head of a long table that had ample room on either side to seat the eight Generals on the left and eight Priestesses on the right should the need for a proper council arise. The eight Generals were sitting in their seats discussing the various matters concerning the Skovos Isles when 'Naruto' was escorted in and was directed to stand in front of them, and his escort left him.

"Um, good morning." His greeting was returned with various verbal responses or nods of the head. The Generals were all told of what transpired the previous night, including the clone's escapades in awakening the Queens, his interference of the attack on Queen Celestia, and how he nearly compelled everyone in the throne room to obey him from just his mere presence. So their respect of the man in front of them had risen considerably from hearing the recounts from their fellow Amazons. "So… uh, yeah, not quite sure how to say this so I'll just say it. The boss is on his way back from destroying the Coven base, but no pirates there unfortunately. And he rescued all the remaining prisoners but there is well over five hundred captives and they're all gonna need shelter and supplies when they get here, and they should be here within the hour so… uh, good luck with that."

""What?!"" The Generals were rightfully alarmed by the news since trying to harbor so many people at once with so little time would be a logistics nightmare. A few days notice would probably cause them _some_ trouble but less than an hour really didn't sit well with them. They realized that not all five hundred could be their own citizens since only several dozen of their people have gone missing over the months. The Generals started scrambling trying to give orders on what to do but everyone was so out of sync that nothing would ever get done. Fortunately, the Queens had awoken already and were on their way to the throne room when they heard the commotion from the war room by their Generals.

"What is going on here?!" All the Generals looked to the side entrance of the room where Queen Xaera and Queen Celestia stood, and all at once they tried to hurriedly explain to the Queens the situation but Xaera got impatient with all their combined rambling. "Silence!" The Generals immediately calmed down and obeyed the order as Xaera continued. "Now, what is all this panic over?"

"Maybe I should tell you." The Queens looked towards 'Naruto' just realizing he was there and nodded their consent to continue. "You should probably sit down for this, if you want of course." The Queens agreed to his suggestion and sat in their seats while 'Naruto' explained what he just told to the Generals.

"(sigh) While I am grateful your creator could save so many lives, this is going to put a strain on things." said Queen Xaera rubbing her forehead feeling a migraine coming on.

"Maybe not Xaera. Naruto, do you know if any of the captive are citizens of Skovos?"

"Yeah, there are quite a few who are your people."

"Well that should help if they have their own homes or families to return to. What else did the message you received say, can we see it?" said Queen Xaera.

"Well I didn't get any written message."

"Then how did you come across this information? I thought you may have a messenger hawk or perhaps some kind of spell to receive messages."

"No, I got the information from memories."

"Memories?" asked Queen Celestia.

"Yes, memories. The shadow clones that the boss creates have a memory feedback when they dispel. All the experiences and memories that a shadow clone has, gets distributed to the original and all other clones that are still active. But since I'm a wood clone I don't have that kind of memory feedback which is why he likes to use shadow clones more often since any other elemental clone won't return their memories to the original. If he wants my memories he would have to reabsorb my chakra directly and I think he _will_ need my memories so that's also why I haven't dispelled myself. I have to wait for him to get back, which will be pretty soon now."

"Intriguing, that kind of ability has all sorts of applications for scouting and information gathering."

"That's not the only thing. The training applications must be tremendous as well. With several clones all working on different aspects of fighting the user could gain all the memories many times more quickly." said Queen Xaera a little astonished at the implications of such a thing. Just learning more about this man the more unbelievable he becomes. _'No wonder this man is so strong,_ _it is fortunate he gives us his aid_ _.'_

"You're both right. But creating shadow clones splits the users chakra evenly among them so only someone with vast amounts of reserves can use shadow clones as freely as the boss does."

"You are an extraordinary young man Naruto." said Queen Celestia.

"Thanks!"

"We still have a problem with the new arrivals we will be receiving, Celestia."

"Oh, yes! I was thinking that we send one of our divisions out early for their yearly training on Skartara. That way we can free some space in the barracks and allow the visiting people to stay for a while until we sort out where they need to return to. And with our oceans clear now we can try to restock our food supplies from fishing."

"Hmm, that could work, but if there are really over five hundred coming here, and only a handful who are our own, we may have to send out two divisions at once which will cut our forces considerably. And much of the fishermen are still too afraid to venture out on the ocean again."

"If you're worried about the safety of your people, I know the boss won't let anything else happen to them as long as he's here. So you don't need to worry about that, we'll stay as long as you need us to and those people are taken care of. And if your fishermen aren't up to the task then I'm sure the boss won't mind helping out with that either."

"Thank you young Sage, the Askari are truly in your debt. We will discuss this further when your creator arrives." Before the meeting could be adjourned a Zarae Warrior rushed into the room with news.

"My Queens, our scouts have spotted sixteen vessels coming from the southeast! They do not appear to be flying any colors. What are your orders?"

"Prepare the docks to receive them. Some are our captured brethren and others are victims of the Coven as well. And I want Divisions Three and Six to clear out their barracks and prepare for departure to Skartara for early training as quickly as possible. We will use their emptied barracks to house these newcomers."

"Yes my Queen! It will be done!"

"Well, you certainly have everything under control here. I'll go meet up with the boss and have him absorb my chakra so he knows what's been going on since he left."

"Very well, and thank you again young Sage."

"You're welcome! Later, the boss will see you soon!" The wood clone vanished before them in a flash as he could feel the Hiraishin marker on the boat his boss was on.

* * *

"Yo! Boss!" Naruto and an already awake Valla turned around from hearing one of his clones call out to him.

"Yo, clone! What's up?"

"Absorb me!"

"What now?"

"Absorb me you rat bastard! Do you have any idea what I've been through since you left?! I've been scared shitless and beaten, TWICE mind you, I've been shot in the back, I've cut both of my hands, I've had unrighteous feminine fury aimed at me! Now absorb me you bastard and know my pain!"

"Really, you did _not_ just paraphrase Nagato. And after telling me all that what makes you think I'm gonna absorb you _now_."

The wood clone gave Naruto a sinister grin. "Because, if you don't then you're gonna have to be retold about everything that happened from the Queens, which I'm sure they really won't appreciate. And besides, I already told them that you would absorb me to get my memories so they wouldn't have to do that in the first place. You don't want to be called a liar now do you, hmm?"

"… I really hate you clones sometimes. I thought you wood clones were supposed to be the cool ones and only my shadow clones were the dicks."

""Shove it up your ass boss!""

"(sigh) But I guess I was wrong about you wood clones." Naruto just put his hand on the wood clone's chest to absorb him all the while the clone was still giving him that evil grin of his.

Valla was off to the side in silence just bearing witness to the… peculiarities of her newest acquaintance and was, not for the first time that day, a bit disturbed by the interactions of Naruto and all the clones on the ship. She even heard clones on other ships cursing him simultaneously along their shadow clone brethren. She just stared blankly at Naruto as his face contorted to several different grimaces as he absorbed the clone and relived his memories. When he was finally done she spoke to him. "You really do have problems."

"Told you!"

"Yeah… yeah, I guess I might." A solemn silence was shared between the two until Naruto suddenly got over it. "Well, nothing I can do about it now! Get all the ships ready to dock you bunch of ingrates!"

""Roger boss!""

"They changed their tune quickly."

"I don't really get it either. Cuz they'll listen to me, but I think they just like getting on my nerves."

* * *

The fleet of ships came into the harbor and were greeted by the Amazon forces to help get the people situated along with the clones helping where needed. Several families of Skovos were reunited with loved ones and others were given the bad news they were dreading to hear. After about another hour of waiting for the two divisions to clear out their barracks the rest of the foreign people were led to the barracks where they would stay. They were happy to be on land and in a safe place again.

During the commotion happening around their ship, Li-Ming and Nazeebo came out to see what was going on, only to see several more ships being docked by an army of familiar clones letting them know their friend has returned.

"Li-Ming, Nazeebo! Over here!"

The two aforementioned people turned around to the other side of the ship to see who they assumed was the original Naruto waving at them, with a mysterious and deadly looking woman standing next to him. All four jumped down to the dock separating the two ships to greet each other.

"Hey guys! How's it going? Been an eventful couple of days huh?"

"Indeed it has my friend."

"That's probably the understatement of the year. Ever since I met you some kind of trouble seems to follow."

"It's not my fault Murphy is an asshole who seems to hate me."

"So I assume bad things usually happen around you huh. And these must be the friends you kept talking about I take it?"

"Oh yes! Li-Ming, Nazeebo, this is Valla, a Demon Hunter that I met on the boat they took me on. She helped me fight the Coven and their demons on the ship and inside their base. Valla, this is Li-Ming and Nazeebo."

"It is an honor, I am a Witch Doctor from the Tribe of the Five Hills."

"A pleasure, I am a Wizard, a former student of the Yshari Sanctum of Caldeum."

"Likewise, it is nice to finally put faces to your names. And I commend you both for putting up with this man's… eccentricities. It was very unnerving at times having to deal with him."

"Oh I couldn't agree more! He is so frustrating sometimes isn't he?"

"I'm standing right here ladies!" Before any further arguments could be made a Zarae Warrior interrupted them.

"Sage! Are you the original Sage?"

"Yes. I'm the original."

"The Queens would request your presence. You may bring your companions with you."

"Okay, I needed to give them more information anyway, so lead the way."

The Zarae Warrior nodded to them and led them all to the palace throne room before the Queens.

"Naruto, I would say it is good to see you again but we only just saw your clone off not too long ago so it hasn't really been that long to us." said a smiling Queen Celestia.

Naruto couldn't help but think back on the memories of his wood clone and the terrifying beatings he received from both Queens, so his response was really lacking in enthusiasm. "Yeah, it's good… it's good to see you two again, I suppose. Ooof!" Li-Ming didn't appreciate his disrespectfulness towards the Queens and elbowed him in the ribs for it. "I mean it's really great to see you both once again! Glad to be here!"

"Who is this new companion of yours young Sage?"

"I am Valla of the Demon Hunters of the Dreadlands my Queens. It is an honor to stand before you."

"Yeah, she helped me with the Coven and their demons. She was on the same ship they took me on when I let them capture me."

"Thank you Huntress, you have done a great service for the Skovos people." said Queen Xaera.

"I exist to extinguish all demon-spawn and their consorts before me. I have only done my duty to rid the world of all of Hell's evils."

"Even so young Demon Hunter, you have our thanks. And you as well Sage, in only two short days have you done more for our country than any stranger should. We would be pleased if you and your companions would be our honored guests for the Philios Games, and we will reward you well for your deeds for our people."

"Valla had mentioned something about games before, is it like a competition of some sort?"

"Yes. It is normally an event only held for the Amazons, but this year we have announced an open invitation for all women of superior strength and cunning to test themselves against other female warriors of the world to see who will triumph over all others."

"Actually, my Queens, that is the reason I came to Philios. I wish to participate in the marksmanship competition, rather than be a part of the audience. It is my wish to gain experience and learn from who would be Sanctuary's greatest archers."

"Then you would have it Huntress, a spot will be reserved for you in the Archery Games."

"Thank you my Queen."

"Well, I would love to be able to witness such an auspicious event but I'm afraid I have some news that may put a hold on your games."

"That is the day the pirates will launch their attack on Philios. They wish to do so in the hopes that it will catch our forces off guard." said Queen Celestia, with the utmost seriousness in her voice.

"How did you know? That's the same information I got from the Coven leader and the documents from his room."

"You forget that I am the Queen of the Oracles, Naruto. Thanks to the efforts of our Priestesses and your friend here, all the talismans of the Coven have been destroyed, and after some rest I had a vision of the night just before the Games. It showed me that our country would be under attack, but not only from the sea, but from within as well. The men of our country will turn on us and fight against our warriors in the middle of the night. There will be battles on two fronts in our country."

"It's Percepeus."

"Pardon?"

"Percepeus is the Coven member who I allowed to capture me from the holding cells. He led me to the ship but he never got on; he is still in your country right now. But he probably realized that he lost his control over the priestess and is going to make a last ditch effort into regaining some sort of control over the situation. One of the documents we found said that there is a shrine that is keeping control over the men of your country so he will use it to force your male citizens to attack you."

"So if we destroy the shrine he will lose control of our men and we won't have to fight a battle on two fronts." said Queen Xaera.

"Exactly. I'll find Percepeus for you. I know his energy signature so it shouldn't take long for me to locate him."

"Thank you, that will be a big help to us."

"Not a problem, I'll get started looking for him first thing tomorrow morning. How long until the games start?"

"They will be held in eighteen days from today."

"With so much time, we don't even have to wait for the games to launch a preemptive strike on the pirates."

"I am sorry, but my visions did not indicate from where the pirates come from. We do not know their location or else we would try to catch them off guard."

"That's right. The two divisions of warriors we sent away was only a small ploy. The day of the games, Divisions Three and Six will be waiting out at sea in order to attack their flanks and hopefully catch them off guard. We won't allow them to come close to our shores."

"I can help you."

"No, you have done more than enough, this fight is an old war we plan to finally put to an end. Our ancestors would want it this way. The Amazons will fight with all they have to protect our country."

"Can I really not get you to reconsider?"

"I am afraid not. It is our duty to protect our country. And before we adjourn this meeting let's not forget your reward. Bring it in!" After the command two Zarae Amazons came in carrying a large chest that seemed to be quite heavy. They opened it up to reveal the chest was full of gold and even some jewels inside.

"Oh, I didn't do all this for a reward, you don… Ooof! Would you quit hitting me!"

"What my inept friend was going to say was that he would gladly accept any reward your Highnesses would give, it would be his honor!"

Naruto leaned towards Li-Ming whispering at her in an annoyed tone. "What do mean I accept, I don't need any reward. They don't have to give me anything."

Li-Ming responded whispering back in a harsher tone. "Shut up and accept you idiot! In case you forgot we are taking a journey across Sanctuary. We're gonna need money for food, supplies and to repair our weapons and armor. All those things aren't free you know! We're gonna need money in order to keep fighting!"

"But isn't that too much?"

"This is the Skovos Isles, they are among the wealthiest kingdoms in all of Sanctuary. This won't even put a dent in their coffers."

"Fine then!" Naruto grumbled to Li-Ming and then redirected his attention back to the Queens. "Uh, yeah, I humbly accept your reward. It would be rude not to right?"

"Yes it would Naruto, I know you are a kind man and you gave us your aid with no intention of a reward. But this is truly the least we could do for you, and please do not worry about the amount, you have more than earned this." said Queen Celestia.

"Haha, sorry about that." Naruto gave a deep bow to the Queens and said. "Thank you for this reward you have presented me with, I will surely put it to good use."

"And so you should Sage. We believe that all matters to be discussed are now finished. Our warriors have much to prepare for in the coming battle. We will have the chest with your reward delivered to your ship by the end of the day. You are all dismissed." said Queen Xaera.

Naruto and his group all gave short bows to the Queens and turned to exit the throne room. When they made it to the city streets Nazeebo broke the silence with a question directed at Naruto.

"You are really not going to listen to the Queens and stay out of this fight are you?"

"Nah, I'm gonna take that as more of a suggestion than an order."

"Naruto! You can't go against the Queens on this, are you crazy?"

"Don't worry Li-Ming, I'm not gonna take over the battle for them. I can tell that this fight is meaningful to them. I'm just gonna help them out a bit, they won't even know I was there!"

"I can't believe you Naruto."

"Nor can I. Well, it's been interesting, but I must find a place to lodge for today. I didn't lose my money like most of those others who were captured and I'd rather not sleep in a barracks. So, farewell."

"Why don't you come stay with us Valla? There is an extra room on the ship Naruto created, you don't have to spend your money on a room, and I would enjoy the female company. It gets a little stuffy with just two men around all the time."

"Why don't you tell us how you really feel Li-Ming?"

"I don't know? I think I've had my fill of being around Naruto already."

"You girls are ruthless!"

"Naruto isn't that bad, you get used to it."

"That's what I'm afraid of. And I wouldn't want to be a burden or a bother to all of you."

"It's no trouble at all! Right Nazeebo, Naruto?"

"I have no concerns over it, we would be fortunate to have you join us."

Naruto got depressed over all the verbal jabs aimed at him as a rain cloud poured over him. "Just do whatever the hell you want. I don't care anymore. I'm just gonna lie down here in the middle of the street and wallow in self-pity." And Naruto did just that, he curled up into a ball laying on his side in the middle of the street with the citizens walking around him and looking at him strangely with some parents quickly walking their children away from the weird man. His three companions just ignored him and continued walking towards the docks to their ship.

"Okay! We'll see you back on the ship!" The three kept walking and when they were far enough away they would be unable to hear Naruto's cries towards the sky.

"Hinata! Why are all these women so mean to me! I'm not really that weird am I?! You're the only one who will ever understand me!" Somewhere up above, Hinata was looking down at her husband with true concern marring her delicate features wanting nothing more than to go down there to embrace and comfort her husband to take all his sorrows away. Meanwhile all of their friends and family with her in the afterlife just rolled their eyes at both of their dramatics. They just couldn't understand how Hinata could never really see through his antics and she always indulged his melodramatics. It was a love they would never understand.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Okay, this one is way too long for my liking but I really wanted to get through this arc without having to do another chapter for it. This is my largest chapter by a good margin but please don't get used to this. I'm sorry if the length of this chapter rubs some people the wrong way but I did it and won't take it back but I am really hoping something like this doesn't happen again. Anyway I think it's starting to move along but I might have rushed a few things but I'm not sure.

* * *

Chapter 6

By the end of the first day of Naruto's return from the Coven hideout, the news of his rescue of their prisoners had reached the entirety of Skovos; needless to say, his reputation among the populace had reached an all time high. The Queens made the announcement that afternoon about some of what has been going on within their country and the plot of the Coven. They knew they couldn't hide everything when sixteen foreign ships showed up on their shores all at once which held some of their own missing people. They didn't reveal everything though, and kept the upcoming pirate attack to themselves and their forces. They didn't need their citizens more panicked than they already were.

Although it came as a surprise to the citizens that some of their own men had attacked Naruto in broad daylight in which he personally put them down, albeit quite gently, and some of the Amazons had taken them away. Naruto made sure they told the Queens so they would understand that those men were obviously the ones under Percepeus' thrall and to only keep them locked away so they can't hurt anyone else. By the time of the seventh attack that evening, Naruto decided to just get it over with and hunt Percepeus down. Before he began his search, Euphrosyne, who had seen that last attack on his person and the men taken away, caught up to him to see if he was okay.

"Naruto! What happened? Why did those men attack you?"

"Hey, Euphy! It's been a little while huh? Did you get some rest after last night?"

"My name is Euphrosyne! And you didn't answer my questions."

"Oh come on! Euphy is so much easier to say, and it suits you too. So I'm sticking with it."

"(sigh) Fine, whatever! Now, what was that commotion about just now?"

"I've been getting attacked for most of the day now, but don't worry, those guys are some of the men who are under Percepeus' spell. I'm guessing with all the news going around about me he decided he wanted to tie up loose ends so he's been sending those men to try and finish me. But as you can _clearly_ see, it hasn't really been working out for him."

"Then we need to find him! We can't allow these attacks against you to continue! _All_ of the Askari have been told the whole truth of what you have done for our country, so it is our duty to ensure your safety!"

"That's really sweet of you Euphy, but I can take care of myself. In fact, I was just on my way to hunt this creep down. I told the Queens I would start first thing in the morning but with all these annoying attacks I decided I should take care of it now rather than later."

"Then I will accompany you, and I won't take 'no' for an answer! I feel like I owe that cretin a little payback for what he would have done to me."

Naruto had some amusement in his voice as he understood what she was talking about. "You know he never actually hurt you right? My wood clone is the one who took the hit."

"I know that! But if it wasn't for you then it _would_ have been me bleeding out and dying last night. I just want to be there when he is finally put down."

"Alright then, I guess you can come along. But be prepared, I doubt he'll be alone when we find him."

"I'll be ready when the time comes."

Naruto took a second and entered normal sage mode in order to track down Percepeus. Euphrosyne noticed the sudden spike in energy and the subtle change of and around his eyes but didn't question him about it. She has heard that many other warriors around Sanctuary are capable of all sorts of things so she just figured this was something that he could do.

Naruto had to sort through the various emotions he could feel throughout the island of Philios. He could definitely feel all the joy and admiration towards himself from the majority of the populace. Some men would look at him in jealousy because they would notice how some of the women, even the Amazons, would look at him with a hint of lust and he could tell a few were more than willing to show him their appreciation personally. Too bad he wasn't that kind of guy and had to turn down a couple of offers from more of the outgoing women. He felt out for any strong dark emotions, and after a few moments he finally found one. Once he felt it, he used those feelings to lead them to where Percepeus and the shrine would most likely be located.

It took them a couple of hours of walking to get to their destination which led them south, near the shores of the island where the lumber and ship yards were at. Naruto looked around for any abandoned buildings but he could tell that they were all in good shape and still in use by the country. He continued to look around finding nothing until he noticed a sewer cover down the street and had a sinking feeling he would have to explore underground in the sewers.

"Ugh! I think we're gonna have to look in the sewers for this guy. I can feel the negative energies coming from around here but I can't feel anything like that above ground, so it looks like this is going to be a bit messier than I wanted."

"What, the big hero can't handle a little sewer?"

"I can, I'd just rather not! Besides, I got a strong sense of smell, but lucky for you and me, I have a solution for that." Naruto took out a small container from his cloak that had a salve that would eliminate odors when put on your upper lip directly under the nose. It was something Hinata had made him before and learned how to make himself from her. She learned how to make it when she was a genin and had asked Kiba's sister Hana about their strong sense of smell. Kiba would complain about strong smells on occasion but he usually forgot to take some with him before a mission, so she took it upon herself to ask and was taught how to make it. It saved her team from future complaints and eventually would save Naruto's nose when he would have that problem on occasion.

Naruto directed Euphrosyne to use some as he did the same, and Naruto removed the stone manhole cover and they both proceeded to climb down. The sewer tunnels were big enough that walkways were built on either side of the sewer waters and they could stand up fully and still have a few feet left above them. Naruto led them down one direction where he could sense Percepeus' energy signature. They walked for some time and were attacked by some vicious sewer rats but they were handled easily between them.

"Alright, let's be careful now. He should be just beyond that gate a few yards down."

"Okay, I'll follow your lead."

Naruto nodded to her and they both crept silently to the rotting gate. Naruto could tell that the gate alone would probably blow their cover from the poor shape it was in so they would have to move quickly once they entered. Naruto looked toward Euphrosyne briefly to make sure she was ready, and when she nodded her head telling him that she was, he swung open the screeching gate quickly and ran into the stone room lined with columns with Euphrosyne right behind him. They immediately set upon the goatmen and ghouls within the stone chamber but the demons were fairly quick to react from the sudden noise and began fighting back.

Euphrosyne used her spear and shield expertly, blocking attacks and stabbing her enemies in vital areas making sure she put them down permanently, not willing to give them a second chance to get up. While she used her training to keep herself alive she could hear many more pained cries and death rattles of the demons due to Naruto's handiwork and she then heard that slimy voice she remembered from the holding cells yelling at the demons to hurry up and kill them.

"You weak, useless, pathetic demons! Do I have to do everything?!"

It was then that the demons Naruto and Euphrosyne were fighting stopped abruptly and were covered in a dark aura. They noticed that Percepeus was casting a magic spell that spread out across the room and began affecting the few demons that were still alive. When it was done the demons had a dark purple energy surrounding them and they looked to be even more vicious and bloodthirsty than before. Then they began their attack again with much more speed and power behind them.

Naruto had no problems dealing with the amped up demons and continued slaughtering them one after the other. Euphrosyne however was having a little difficulty in dealing with these supercharged demons. She was surrounded by two ghouls and one goatman with an ax. She could only dodge initially as their attacks were coming at her all at once. She got an opportunity to counter when she dodged behind one of the few stone columns that supported this chamber and she caught the goatman off guard and thrust her spear into the back of its head killing it instantly.

She had no time to rest as the ghouls who were faster set upon her again. She was just barely able to dodge them this time as it seemed with the goatman down they had more room to maneuver around her without the goatman in the way and were getting closer to finishing her. She quickly ran around a few columns in a zigzag pattern to throw them off a bit and ran straight down one corridor and was able to create some space between them. When she turned around and heard them coming she prepared her spear and immediately threw it with great force when she saw them turn the corner. Her spear hit one ghoul successfully through the throat and even managed to pin it to a column. She knew throwing away her primary weapon was foolish but she felt that she still had a better chance fighting one on one.

That notion immediately left her as she tried to block the incoming swing from the ghoul's jagged sword and the sword's teeth managed to actually pierce her shield and one of the teeth stabbed into her forearm a couple of inches. Euphrosyne cried out in pain as she fell back with the ghoul standing over her and trying to pull its sword from her shield but it seemed the sword was stuck there and she managed to continue holding onto her shield despite the pain she was in. The ghoul struggled with its sword for a bit until it decided to give up on it and just kill its prey with its bare hands. But before it could move around Euphrosyne to get a better angle against the woman still on the floor, a large fist met its face as it was knocked away.

"Naruto!"

"Sorry about that Euphy, there was a lot more demons than I thought that came out of a back door to this chamber. Sorry I wasn't here sooner."

"Look out!"

Naruto turned around to find the ghoul he knocked away lunging at him head first with its mouth open, ready to grab him and tear into him with its teeth. Naruto in a show of speed and brute strength, caught the ghoul by the top of its head and ran forward a few feet driving it backwards and embedded its head into one of the columns; simultaneously snapping its neck backwards and crushing the back of its skull. It did not move again after that. Naruto immediately went over to Euphrosyne who managed to sit up with her shield still strapped to her arm with the sword still stuck there.

"I'm going to have to cut the straps off your arm and pull the shield and sword out of you okay?" Euphrosyne just nodded her head in acceptance still trying to stave off the pain she was in. Naruto did as he said and cut off the straps and without warning her, he pulled the shield and sword off of her as she yelled out in pain.

"Ahhhhhh! You jerk, why didn't you warn me?!"

"It's a lot less painful if you don't see it coming. Now stay still." Naruto pulled out another salve he had, again, courtesy of his wife in which he learned to make, and rubbed it into her wound, and began to bandage it up. "The salve I put on you will stop the bleeding and kill any bacteria that might have been on that sword while also numbing the pain. When we're out of here I'll fully heal you, but we still have to get that dumb lackey. Are you gonna be alright moving around?"

"Yes, thank you. I can't really feel my arm right now but the pain has lessened greatly, so I should be fine." Euphrosyne then walked over to the ghoul she pinned with her spear and removed it from the demon and column so she at least had her weapon with her.

"Good! Let's get moving, he won't have gotten far."

They both ran to the back of the chamber and through the door that Naruto had seen more demons come from. The door led them down a hallway which eventually led them to another room that had symbols all across the walls written in blood and the shrine they needed to destroy against the back wall.

"You damned wretch! You have ruined all the hard work the Coven has done for months! I don't know how you broke free from my control but you will not be leaving here alive! Kill them!" The only demon left in the room with Percepeus was a larger creature than the goatmen or the ghouls. It had a strong physique and only wore a metal helmet and armor around its waist and a large gauntlet that covered its entire left arm. The weapon it wielded in its right hand was a long and heavy mace that could swing in a wide arc.

After giving his command, Percepeus fired a red beam of fluctuating energy towards them as they stood in the doorway and they both jumped in opposite directions to avoid the beam. Euphrosyne was able to get cover from behind a stone table and avoided the attack from Percepeus. Percepeus, not wanting the Amazon to interfere with his attacking demon kept firing magic attacks at the cover Euphrosyne took to keep her pinned down.

The demon charged Naruto, correctly thinking he was the bigger threat, and roared at him while swinging its mace wildly. Naruto dodged its swings easily and started landing blows against it with his fists just trying to gauge how strong this demon really was. The demon staggered back but kept attacking Naruto, relentlessly pushing forward. For every hit Naruto landed the demon just seemed to get angrier and more aggressive with each blow it took. While continuing fighting, Naruto looked over to where Euphrosyne was pinned down and saw that the crumbling stone table wouldn't keep her covered for much longer and she would be in more trouble.

Deciding to finally put an end to this, Naruto maneuvered the fight to where the demon was directly between himself and Percepeus. Naruto gave a hard blow that made the demon stagger back a few feet from him, giving him enough time to create a Rasengan in his hand. Naruto immediately rushed forward and thrust his attack into the demon's chest and sent it spiraling back rapidly straight towards Percepeus.

Percepeus heard the pained cry of the strongest demon he had at his disposal and he turned his head only for his eyes to widen in shock from seeing his servant barreling towards him. He could not move in time and the large body of the demon crashed right into him with powerful force and both bodies continued on to smash into the shrine, destroying it.

"Huh. Well what do you know? Three birds with one stone. And here I was just hoping for two. Damn I'm good!"

"That was impressive, I was just able to see your last attack when I was going to move for more cover. I can see why the Zarae Amazons and the Queens hold you in such high respects."

"Thanks Euphy. You doing alright?"

"Yes, I avoided further injury. I'm just glad that table was solid stone, otherwise it wouldn't have lasted that long."

"Good! Well, the shrine is destroyed so that should have released the men from his spell. All that's left to do is take this idiot back to the Queens and let them decide what to do with him."

"They will surely execute him, but not before they try to gain any further information out of him."

"Yeah, that's what I figured would be the case."

The two walked to where the two bodies lay, one a corpse and the other unconscious. The demon had a gaping hole in its chest where it bled from, lying on top of Percepeus. Naruto dragged the demon off of him and proceeded to pick up Percepeus and throw him over his shoulder to carry. Euphrosyne noticed the large mace the demon wielded and couldn't help but be curious about it.

"Do you mind if I take this Naruto? I know this was your kill so the spoils of war are rightfully yours to take."

Naruto saw what she was talking about and gave her a smile. "Knock yourself out! I'm not much of a mace kind of guy anyway so I wouldn't need it for anything. You want to use it as a trophy on your wall or something?"

"No, I was thinking of branching out from the standard issue spear of the Amazons. I'm not sure how well I can handle a mace but I thought I would test it out to see how well it would fit for me."

"That's good! It's always good to branch out and try new things to improve yourself. If you need help I'm more than willing. Even though I prefer to use my fists more than anything, I've trained with many weapons over the years. I can't say I'm really a master of a whole lot but I've dabbled with maces for a little while. I can at least help you get started if you want."

"Really? That would be great! I would be honored to be taught by you, even if it's just to get me started. What weapons _have_ you mastered if you don't mind me asking?"

"Well, I've used my kunai for most of my life, so pretty much any knives in general I can use extremely well, those are really the only bladed weapons I like to use aside from throwing weapons. But one area of weapons fighting that I really took to is called Kali. Which is essentially stick fighting!"

"Stick fighting? I'm sorry but that doesn't really sound that impressive to be honest."

"Maybe not _now_ , but when you see it in action I think its one of the coolest martial arts practices there is!"

"I do not deny that it sounds intriguing enough, but most warriors use steel for their weapons so I just don't think sticks would be of any real use in a battle. They would break too easily wouldn't they?"

"Ah! I see how you would think that, but a major part of that art form is the disarming your opponent of their weapon so it wouldn't even be a factor. Plus you don't have to use _wooden_ sticks either and the sticks could be easily replaced with a bladed weapon too, but I just like 'sticking' to the old fashioned ways, pun intended. And with the wood I make, they're really hard to break so that isn't really an issue for me. I know it doesn't interest a whole lot of people because everyone likes their swords or specialty weapons, it's just something that I really enjoyed getting into when I was younger. Everyone is entitled to their own preference."

"Younger? Wow, you must have really had a talent for it and started at a really early age if you have mastered it already."

"Hahaha, yeah. Let's go with that." Naruto nervously scratched the back of his head from almost revealing a little too much, he forgets that he doesn't look like the old man he really is. "Let's get out of here so I can heal you up properly." Once they were outside Naruto put up his barrier in order to fully heal Euphrosyne. She, like the few others who were conscious to feel his presence in Sixth Paths Sage Mode was in awe of the feeling as well as a little intimidated, but she was grateful to be back at full health and not have to abandon her duties due to injury.

Naruto and Euphrosyne proceeded to return to the palace to hand over Percepeus. Unfortunately the Queens had just gone to bed and he really didn't want a repeat of what his clone went through, so he asked the Amazons on duty to just throw him in a cell and inform the Queens in the morning. He put a seal on him to prevent him from using his powers when he woke up and would be less trouble to deal with and left him with the Amazons. Naruto and Euphrosyne said their good-nights to each other and both went to their dwellings to sleep for the night, but not before they agreed to meet up again to start her training with her new weapon.

* * *

The next day after Percepeus' capture, the Queens made sure to have the Coven member thoroughly interrogated and they gained some new information from the man. They found out that he was the one who was in contact with the pirates through a magic based journal that he had on his person when they searched him before throwing him in his cell the previous night. The journal was connected to its 'sister' journal of sorts which the pirates were in possession of; by writing in one journal the message would be received by the other and vice versa. They read what was in the journal and found that the pirates were completely unaware that the coven had run into any trouble which would greatly be to their advantage.

Percepeus had no idea that the entirety of his Coven had been destroyed by Naruto, he was only aware that his control over the Priestess was lost and only thought Naruto somehow fought his control and rescued the people of the ship he was on from what little news he heard around the island. That is the reason why he ordered the men under his control to try to kill him and didn't want to inform the pirates of any trouble, believing it would be taken care of soon enough. With all the information they could get out of him the Queens had him executed shortly afterwards in private, not wanting to make a spectacle out of it; they had more important things to do. They could use the new information and journal to further increase their advantage and proceeded to call a war council to continue preparing for the coming battle.

A week had gone by with no further trouble occurring for Naruto. Everyone in their group was content to do their own thing for now. Li-Ming explored and learned more about the Askari and conversed with many of the primary magic users of their people, namely being the Oracles and Priestesses. Nazeebo also took his time wandering Philios and learning about their culture and gaining ideas about anything new he could bring back to the Umbaru to help them grow and prosper. Valla spent most of her time training and getting ready for the Philios Games that would occur in ten more days.

Naruto was currently with Euphrosyne helping her train in her newfound weapon. He had given her the basics he knew about using a weapon like that and continued training with her throughout the week. They were at the tail end of their spar in which Euphrosyne was on the offensive while Naruto was defending himself against her attacks. Naruto had shown her a little bit of the skill he had using Kali and was using it now to defend himself using double sticks. Euphrosyne was surprised at how well he could handle one of his favored weapons and when they initially sparred he disarmed her quickly and easily but now she was trying break through his guard to land a hit but was unsuccessful. By now Euphrosyne was nearing exhaustion and could barely hold the large weapon anymore. Naruto, seeing this, decided to end the spar by tripping her up and knocking the mace out of her hands as she landed on her back. She didn't even have the strength to complain and just laid there trying to catch her breath.

"You did good Euphy! I can see a lot more improvement since you first started. I think the mace will suit you well once you get more experience with it."

"I still couldn't… hit… you. Not even once!" Euphrosyne gasped out still fighting for breath.

"True, but don't let that discourage you! You're fighting someone who has mastered their weapon while you are still a beginner with yours. You can't expect to get it right off the bat."

"Very true, do not allow your frustrations to weaken your resolve. For a beginner learning how to use a heavy weapon, you show much promise." Naruto and Euphrosyne turned their heads to see a large and muscular woman walking towards them with two heavy weapons of her own hanging on either side of her waist.

"Hey Sonya! Did you finish your training for today?"

"I was just taking a short break. I thought I would see the young warrior you said you were training to see how well she has done. And I wanted to take you up on your previous offer for a spar."

"Sure! I'm game."

Sonya was a large woman with orange hair, larger than any Amazon, but not to be mistaken with her being overweight. No, her body looked to be almost pure muscle, not unlike the former Raikage A, but she was still not so overly muscular that one would mistake her for a man. She wore heavy steel armor that covered her shoulders, forearms, hips and heavy boots with brown leather covering her modesty. Her biceps, waist and thighs were bare to show others the strength she holds within her body only to be covered in blue warpaint along with her face. The two large weapons hanging from her hips were both swords; one could be considered a short sword but it had a wide golden blade with a curved edge towards the tip (Blade of the Warlord), and the other was double edged and even wider than the first, but it looked like the top of it was cut off at an angle (Dishonored Legacy), the size and shape of this sword reminded Naruto of Kubikiribocho that Zabuza once used.

Sonya was a Barbarian, Naruto came to learn. He met her a few days ago on the beach when he was trying to decide what he could do with the two giant horns he wanted to keep for trophies. Evidently, he still hasn't decided what to do with them.

* * *

 _Flashback_

 _Naruto was currently standing on the beach just staring at the two giant horns that Gyuki had stabbed into the beach when they first arrived in Philios. At first he thought the giant horns would be cool to have but now he just doesn't know what to do with them. They were too big to be used as a weapon unless he let one of the Biju use them._

'Nah, not really any of our styles Naruto. Those of us who even have hands to hold a weapon prefer to use our fists so I don't think they would work for us.' _said Kurama and Naruto could hear all the agreements from the other Biju, so_ that _idea was out._

" _What manner of beast could wield these? I would have loved to be a part of the mighty battle against such foes!"_

 _Naruto looked to the side to see an intimidating looking woman admiring the two giant horns. "Pretty cool huh! These came from two giant demonic squid that were terrorizing the coast of Skovos. My friends and I ran into them when we were sailing across the ocean and I summoned my own powerful creature to take care of them. I wanted them as trophies but now I'm stuck as to what to do with them."_

" _You fought such beasts?"_

" _Yeah, we were at a stalemate at first until the second one showed up and I decided to summon a creature who is also a friend of mine to help us out._ He _was the one to defeat them in battle."_

" _That sounds like fierce battle to be sure. I wish I had arrived sooner so I could have born witness to such a sight."_

" _Well you sound like you enjoy a good fight. You're not an Amazon are you?"_

" _No, I am no Amazon. I am a daughter of Bul-Kathos the Immortal King, descendant of the great Warmaster Raekor, and the last of the once great Oxen Tribe! I… am Barbarian!" she said with great pride and conviction in her voice._

" _Oh… wow. Well uh, I'm… I'm just a sage. I guess." Naruto wasn't really feeling enthusiastic after the impressive epithet she gave. He had no idea what any of that meant, but it still sounded impressive._

" _Sage? I've never heard of a sage before. Sounds like it would be similar to our shamans. No matter, I am Sonya and I would have your name."_

" _I'm Naruto Uzumaki, nice to meet you Sonya. So what brings you here to Philios? Are you here to test yourself in the Games?"_

" _Not only to test myself. I wish to rebuild the once great capital of Sescheron for my people, so that the scattered children of Bul-Kathos may be reunited once again. And for that, the prize money for winning the games will help greatly."_

" _So your home was destroyed then? I'm sorry to hear that. But it's good that you haven't given up! I'm on an important journey but when my journey is finally over I would be glad to help you in any way that I can."_

" _I give thanks to your words, not many would give their aid to such an arduous cause. But I too am on a journey, so it will be some time before I can return to my home."_

" _I'll still help you when I can. However long it takes."_

" _You have my thanks. If you need help in moving these trophies of yours I would be willing to give you aid. They are quite large but I think I could handle such things."_

" _Thanks, but moving them is not a problem for me. I just can't decide what to do with them is all."_

" _You can move these on your own? The meat on your bones tells me otherwise."_

" _Hasn't anyone ever told you looks can be deceiving?" said Naruto giving her a wide grin._

" _Perhaps, but I must see this be done for myself."_

" _Oh? Still don't believe me huh? How about a challenge then?"_

" _A challenge? What are your terms?"_

" _How about, whoever can lift and hold up their horn the longest buys the other lunch."_

"… _Very well, I will meet your challenge."_

 _While the conversation between Naruto and Sonya was going on, they were not the only ones that were on the beach. Normal groups of citizens and tourists alike were walking the beaches, many actually came just to see the very horns they made their challenge over. So when some nearby people heard the challenge being made, they made sure to let everyone close by know about it and to see if either challenger could actually lift such things. So a crowd had quickly gathered around the two to see what the outcome would be._

" _Okay, since these things are like eighty feet tall or something and I don't know how deep into the ground they are. I'll have my clones pull them out and lay them on the ground with the edge up and then we'll both lift them up and over our heads and we'll see who can hold them the longest. Is that alright with you?"_

" _Sounds reasonable."_

 _Naruto created some shadow clones and had them remove both horns from the ground and lay them down with the curved side facing up. Once that was done, both competitors took their positions facing each other ready to get started. On a hidden signal made between the two they both lifted their horn up and over their heads. Neither looked to have any difficulty lifting them but now it was only a matter of time to see who would be the victor. The crowd around them was really impressed with the feats of strength made by both participants. None of them actually believed they could be lifted by a single person, so it was really something for them to see._

 _In order to be fair in this challenge, Naruto did not use any chakra to reinforce his muscles, so he was lifting the horn with his raw strength, just as Sonya was. After two hours the crowd had grown larger, many really wanting to see who would win. The Askari got wind of this as some Amazons came to watch the spectacle and some Oracles used a scrying pool to watch themselves. Even the Queens heard news of it and Celestia used her own scrying pool to show what was going on to Xaera and some other fellow Amazons and Oracles._

" _What on Sanctuary are you doing Naruto?"_

" _Being an idiot again it seems."_

 _Naruto looked over behind Sonya to see his new group of friends he made recently. It seems they got news of what was going on as well._

" _Hey guys! I'm just engaged in a friendly competition. Meet Sonya here, she didn't quite believe that I could lift one of these things so I thought a challenge was in order. She says she's a Barbarian and she's way stronger than I thought she was too."_

" _Yes, I have indeed been proven wrong. After so long my arms grow weak and I see no such strain marring your body. I admit defeat, you have bested me, but I took great enjoyment from the challenge. I have yet to meet a man outside my fellow Barbarians that could match my strength, we should spar together sometime. I would enjoy another challenge." With Sonya admitting defeat, she put the horn down and tried to regain some feeling in her arms. As Naruto put down his own horn, the crowd began to cheer for both competitors and disperse soon afterwards. Naruto's strength just continued to further impress the people of Skovos._

" _Anytime! I could use a good spar."_

" _Perhaps in a few days after I have completed some business I have here. Now I will hold my end of the bargain. Let us feast now, I could use the extra energy."_

 _Naruto along with Li-Ming, Nazeebo, and Valla joined Sonya to get something to eat. They all got acquainted with each other and exchanged stories and just got to know each other better. They met a couple of more times over the next days and Naruto told her that he was helping train a young Amazon warrior and thought he could use her input because it looked like she could handle a heavy weapon like the mace, and Sonya agreed to meet him sometime the next day after her own training._

 _Flashback End_

* * *

Back in the small training field where Naruto and Euphrosyne had just ended their spar, Sonya walked over to the large mace and picked it up. She looked at the design of the weapon and immediately recognized it and voiced her question towards Euphrosyne, who was just starting to catch her breath now.

"Where did you find such a weapon as this?"

"A demon that the Coven summoned was wielding it. Naruto had killed it and he allowed me to take it since he does not use that type of weapon. Why do you ask?"

"Just curious, these are the weapons of the Dark Berserkers. I have fought several back in my homeland. Would you allow me to use your weapon young warrior? So that I may show you just exactly what the mace is capable of."

"Sure, I don't mind. I think a visual aid will help greatly."

"Thank you, now pay close attention." Sonya directed her attention towards Naruto and spoke to him. "Let us start out at a slow pace so she may observe closely my technique with this weapon and we will gradually speed up our spar."

"Sounds good to me, I'll let you start off things." Sonya didn't know just how fast Naruto could be when fighting, so a slow spar for Naruto would probably be at full speed for others. But he knows how to control his strength and speed that he is fully capable of matching the pace of a much slower person. Which is what he did while sparring with Sonya in order to help Euphrosyne become more familiar with her weapon and how to use it.

Sonya was clearly a close combat fighter like Naruto, and even though she may be slower than others, he could tell that all it would really take to put down an enemy from her would be just one hit. What she lacked in speed she more than made up in strength and power. She surprised him a few times when she would suddenly gain a short burst of speed in which she would try to overwhelm him. If she were fighting anyone but him, he knows she would definitely be a scary opponent. He felt a little sorry for anyone who participates in the games Sonya was signed up for.

The spar lasted for a few hours, another ode to Sonya's endurance, and Euphrosyne became enraptured from a real battle of seasoned warriors. The way they fought and defended against each other was truly impressive to the young warrior, and from just observing the fight she gained much knowledge of how to really use a mace. They ended the spar shortly after since Sonya was finally getting tired and a little frustrated that she couldn't land anything solid, but she enjoyed the mock battle nonetheless.

"Did you see young warrior? The mace is not a weapon to be looked down upon, but the mace you have chosen is much larger and heavier than a normal one. In order to bring about its full potential you must continue to increase your strength and endurance, otherwise this weapon may be your downfall."

"What do you mean?"

"If your endurance and strength are not capable enough, then this weapon will only weaken you the more you use it. It will constantly put strain on your muscles and tire you out quickly in a long fight, and you will be vulnerable to counterattacks that may very well end your life."

"I understand, thank you both for your help, I greatly appreciate it. I will continue to work hard and won't stop until I can handle this weapon without it being a burden."

"That's the spirit! I think that's enough training for one day. You ladies want to get something to eat? My treat!"

"I can go for a hot meal."

"Oh! Let's go to my favorite restaurant!"

"I am not eating snails again, Euphy." Naruto said in a deadpan voice while giving her a dull stare.

"They serve other things than that you big baby."

"… Alright then, lead the way Euphy."

* * *

It was finally time, it was the evening before the pirates would launch what they expected would be a surprise attack on Skovos in the middle of the night. The strategy had been made and the Amazons were prepared to fight to the end to protect their country. That journal was actually a godsend in planning everything out to give them an overwhelming advantage for the coming battle. The pirates were waiting for a message from Percepeus to tell them where they would launch their attack and the Queens did not disappoint. They sent them a message several days prior telling them that the north side of Philios would be the most vulnerable because it would lack the proper defenses, but instead it would be the most heavily defended area now without them knowing.

Percepeus' interrogation had given them another piece of information that would give them another advantage. Percepeus admitted that the Coven were going to use half of those sixteen ships to transport half of the demons from their hideout to meet up with the pirates when they would invade and the other half would be sent to another part of the island to divert the Amazon forces. With this information the Queens along with the war council decided to use a greatly historical and ancient strategy against the pirates. The Trojan Horse would arise to see the downfall of its enemies once again.

The message the Queens sent to the pirates stated that they would receive reinforcements in the form of the Coven and its demons to aid them in the invasion. So a group of ships would meet up with them, but they weren't going to be any reinforcements. Instead of half of the ships the Coven was originally going to send them, they were going to send all of the ships to meet up with them full of Amazon Warriors and twenty-four more ships from the Amazon fleet to provide reinforcements and attack from both flanks of the pirate fleet. With the sixteen foreign ships at their disposal, the pirates would never suspect the Amazons could get so close to them out on the ocean, and they would make sure they never set foot on their country's soil.

Naruto was told of the strategy for the upcoming battle by the Queens, mostly as a courtesy since he was the one to deliver them most of this vital information, either directly or indirectly by giving them Percepeus. Both Queens had put their trust in Naruto and asked if he had anything he could think of that would help them further. He actually thought their planning was very sound and strong, and he really liked the deceptive nature of their Trojan Horse strategy. He just made sure to tell them their warriors would have to move swiftly and to not let up their attack since the surprise factor would ultimately be short and the pirates would realize they were set up. Of course, Naruto was going to be there to ensure they sustained no casualties but they didn't need to know he would being watching over them secretly.

The foreign ships loaded with Amazon warriors had set sail a few hours ago and were well on their way to meet up with the unsuspecting pirates. While they were on their way they spotted storm clouds up ahead of them where they believed the pirates would be. It was strange because none of the Oracles or Queen Celestia had predicted there would be a storm out on the ocean, so this came as a surprise to them. But what confused them further was that it looked to be a very localized storm, as if it was concentrated over a single area.

"What do you make of this Warmatron?"

"I don't know, but we can't stop now. A storm will not stop us from ending these lowly pirates who have dared to endanger our kingdom! We move forward!"

""OOOOOOHH!""

* * *

"What the hell is this?! It isn't storm season!"

"I don't know! None of the weather patterns in the day indicated anything like this! It's just a freak thunderstorm!"

"Should we head back?!"

"No! I can see our reinforcements coming up ahead! It's too late to turn back now! We're gonna make the Skovos Islands our headquarters and take everything they have! We're gonna show those Amazon whores who runs this ocean! We're gonna have _fun_ tonight boys!"

""AYYYYYYYEEEE!""

* * *

Unknown to either side of this conflict, Naruto was the one who was causing this localized squall. Naruto and a few of his shadow clones, with the use of the transparency technique, have already been out on the ocean for a few hours now forcing the pirates to endure this thunderstorm. From a combination of a few water, wind, and lightning techniques he created this storm that was focused entirely around the forty-six pirate ships. The main point of the storm was to essentially tire the pirates out before they would immediately be sieged upon by the Amazons. The rocking ships forced the pirates to hold on for dear life lest they be thrown overboard, which did happen to several unlucky pirates. The strain they put on their muscles from trying to keep their ships afloat and from flying overboard would ultimately cause them to lose their endurance when they had to fight, and the pouring rain would also cause their clothes to be waterlogged and would weigh them down which would also make them slower.

Naruto was just trying to give the Amazons the best possible chances of winning this fight without him taking the fight from them. He knows he could have ended this war on his own but this was not his fight to take over. All the Amazons wanted the honor to defend their country and protect their people, and Naruto wasn't about to take that away from them. Soon enough Naruto would come to realize that all his efforts would be in vain after seeing the outcome of this battle.

All the Amazons on the foreign ships had cloaks on them similar to what the Coven would wear to hide their forms until the right moment. As they continued to get closer to the pirate fleet the sudden thunderstorm began to die out as if it were waiting for the Amazons to arrive, much to the relief of the pirates. The sixteen ships furled their sails to slow down while spreading out in a U formation. This was to allow the pirate ships to enter the formation in order to use what they believed to be the Coven and their demons as a first line of defense by forming the outer perimeter of their fleet. The leading pirate ship that held their captain moved forward to meet with the main Coven ship in order to meet with the Coven leader to finalize any last minute strategy before they invade.

While the pirate ships were slowly moving forward and unknowingly being surrounded by enemies, the flanking Amazon ships were moving in while using the formation of their 'Trojan Horse Ships' to impair the view of the pirate ships. The Amazon vessels were large langskip class ships (Viking), that had a single sail but was mostly powered through rowing by the Amazons. Their ships were built for maneuverability and speed, but every Amazon ship was also equipped with a steel ram prow that they would put to use very soon.

The formation couldn't entirely block the view of all the pirate ships and a few of them noticed the Amazon ships quickly sailing towards them, however they noticed too late. The pirates immediately began alerting the other ships of the incoming Amazon fleet but by the time they were trying to get prepared the Amazons were already on top of them; the darkness of night allowed the Amazon fleet to get close enough before they were noticed.

Initially, the pirates weren't too worried because they believed the Coven ships would take the brunt of the incoming attack and they would back up the Coven and their demons. Imagine their surprise when the Amazon ships completely bypassed the Coven ships and began crashing straight into different pirate ships in order to board them and begin their attack. Another realization the pirates had was that they could no longer maneuver their ships to try and evade the incoming Amazons. Unknown to them was that Naruto had clones underwater for every pirate ship to destroy their rudders when the attack started; no pirate was escaping this night.

Just as the Amazon ships started passing the Trojan Horse Ships and began ramming into the pirates, the cloaked Amazons finally revealed themselves to the pirates, much to their horror. Several of the Trojan Horse Ships contained their best archers, so hundreds of volleys of arrows began to rain down on the panicked pirates, killing many within the first moments of the fighting. The rest of the deceiving ships began to move in as well to join in boarding the pirate ships. The Amazons wasted no time and immediately began jumping onto the pirate ships to finally put an end to their enemies.

What came next was essentially a slaughter. Naruto could clearly see that the Amazons held back nothing. They were fighting angry but not angry enough to make dumb mistakes. They fought like a fierce beast and a well oiled machine all in one; the Amazons' style of fighting was similar to what Konoha had believed in, which was using teamwork. It looked like they fought in groups, or at the very least pairs, that would watch each others' backs. Naruto saw that while one was attacking another would provide extra defense with their shield and they would switch off between offense and defense. The Amazons clearly believed in no Amazon fights alone.

The pirates were a completely different story, because it is just as they say, 'no honor among thieves.' The pirates form of fighting was basically every man for themselves and many would use their own comrades as shields if it meant saving their own skin. They were unfortunate that this world has yet to invent the use of firearms using gunpowder, so the pirates had nothing like cannons on their ships or guns to use. They only had their preferred choice of melee weapon and the few archers that the pirates had were almost immediately targeted down by the Amazon archers.

The fighting on the ships was very one-sided and brutal to say the least, and Naruto came to the belief that tiring them out and weighing them down with water would have made no difference in the end. Many of the Zarae Amazons led the charge and began tearing into them, even the Generals joined the fighting along with their leading General who was known as the Warmatron; personally appointed by Queen Xaera. The Amazon Queen wanted to participate but she was convinced otherwise, much to her disappointment, by Celestia and the rest of the War Council; they felt she was too important to put at risk. The Amazon forces may have been outnumbered, but the Amazons were a race of warriors who lived and breathed battle; there would not be a single Amazon casualty this day. A group of pirates could never hope to best the Amazons, which is why they had hired the likes of the Coven and their demons in the first place, without _them_ the pirates stood no chance.

It was finally over after a couple of hours of fighting, and now the Amazons were just searching the pirate ships for any hidden cowards to kill and the spoils of war to take. It just so happened that the pirates were completely sure of their success in taking over the Skovos Isles that they had brought all their gold with them to store in their new base, but now it belonged to the Queens to use for the people of Skovos. Once their search was complete and everything of use taken, the archers fired a volley of flaming arrows to set what was left of the pirate ships on fire. The ships of their enemies had no use to the Amazons. Now the Amazons had to go back to Philios to get what rest they can to get ready to provide security or participate in the Games in the coming day.

* * *

The following day was very lively in the Capital of Skovos. The streets were filled with locals and tourists indulging in the pre-festivities leading up to the Games. Food stalls and merchants lined the streets to sell their wares and sell food for the masses. Everyone was anticipating the next few days that the Games would be held over. No civilian was aware of the small war to defend Skovos that had happened just several hours prior in the middle of the night. Naruto took it upon himself with the Queens' blessings to fully heal any Amazon regardless of minor injuries so that anyone set to participate or provide security for the Games would be at one-hundred percent. They were all very grateful for the generous offer, but were once again in awe of the man's power when he took on his glowing form. But they had nothing to complain about since they were fully healed and none showed any signs of fatigue the following day that one would expect from battle.

The Games were a sight to see for Naruto and his friends. It was being held within a massive coliseum that was even larger than the Chunin Exam Stadium. At the opening ceremony, Naruto was presented to the people and was publicly given thanks to by the Queens for what he had done for their country and the lives he had saved from the Coven; Valla as well was given praise for aiding Naruto. All of the Skovos people cheered loudly when he was given the honor to watch the Games alongside the Queens with Nazeebo and Li-Ming accompanying him. All the participants had their own place to watch the Games from so Valla and Sonya were in their own area. In other areas throughout Skovos, mostly in taverns, some of the Oracles used scrying pools to allow the rest of the people who could not get seats in the coliseum to observe the Games. This was a highly honored event only held every four years, so they wanted everyone to be allowed to see it, especially this year with foreign participants.

The first three days were very exciting for everyone but they saved what they believed to be the most favored games for the last day which included the Shield Games, Archery Games, and War Games. The games throughout the four days would test the participants' endurance, strength, speed, and agility with the use of one's energies being restricted. Races were held to see who was the fastest or had the most endurance for running, through sprints and a marathon that spread across Philios. A triathlon was also held that started with swimming across the bay on the north side of the island, then running a long distance toward the last part of the race which was climbing a sheer cliff on the side of Mount Karcheus where the coliseum sat at its base. This is where the Oracles were needed most to keep track of those participating in the marathon and triathlon.

There were events that tested a warriors' strength which included lifting boulders that became increasingly larger with each successful lift. This was one of several events that Sonya had signed up for and it was safe to say that she had won that event with no problems. Many people who saw her lift that giant horn earlier in the week put their money on her in that event. She also participated in the Javelin Games and had won that as well; they not only based that event on distance but precision. It seemed Sonya was an old hand at throwing weapons so she surprised everyone that she not only had brute strength but accuracy as well. She was quickly becoming a fan favorite.

Valla had signed up for another event aside from archery, which was an obstacle and evasion course that had to be set up in the Arena on the second to last day. It was an event that she thought was intriguing and decided she wanted to test herself to see how well she would do. Part of the obstacle course had hidden traps laid out that could be triggered automatically but her instincts and agility as well as her ability to vault over the traps made it simple enough for her. Her training in evasion as a Demon Hunter was put to good use and she too won that event.

It was safe to assume that Naruto wasn't exactly being a 'silent' observer to say the least. Whenever Sonya and Valla were up next in an event he made sure he was the loudest one in the arena, much to the embarrassment of the Queens and Li-Ming and Nazeebo, but it would be hard to say that Sonya and Valla weren't embarrassed themselves. Sonya didn't mind it too much as she saw it as a form of motivation but he didn't have to be so loud did he? Valla looked like she wanted to skin him alive for being so damn cheery. She wanted to shoot at him but she just couldn't because he was sitting next to the Queens, even though she knew she would hit her target without endangering them. She felt she was lucky to even win that event with how distracting he was, cheering her on the whole way through.

The final day came and everyone couldn't wait for it to get started. The Shield Games were up first and was a local fan favorite to see their Amazon Warriors' skill with handling their shields. It may not sound particularly exciting but this event was created solely to test their proficiency in defense as well as instincts and cunning while only equipped with a bronze light shield that was circular and designed for speed, and only about two feet in diameter. Everyone had the same standard shield to test their skills equally. Aside from the identical shield everyone would be equipped with, every participant was allowed to use the weapon of their choice to see how well they balanced a weapon with their shield.

This event was played out by going through another obstacle course that was a recreation of a warrior's charge on an enemy stronghold. The course was laden with training posts that would pop out and attack similar to an enemy that would require the contestant to defend and strike at with their weapon. There was also automated turrets that fired a small number of soft-tipped arrows so as to only cause minor harm to the contestant. There were also hidden Amazon archers that would pop out at random intervals to try and catch the competitors off guard and to see how observant they are to their surroundings. All the arrows used in this event were also tipped with chalk so as to keep track of where a competitor was hit. Their overall scores when they complete the event would depend not only on the amount of time taken to finish but on the literal marks made on the participant's body. The more fatal areas of the body that were hit, the lower the competitor's score would be.

It was not surprising that this event was full of Amazons that wished to test themselves, and many of the more experienced warriors did exceptionally well, but none had gone through the course unscathed. However, it was the last participant that caught everyone's attention. She was the only non-Amazon taking part in this event. She had blonde hair with the left side of her head shaved and the back of her hair flowing into her armor in four separate braids. She wore heavy black armor trimmed in gold with her pauldrons nearly coming to the top of her head. She had a white cloth over her armor that flowed down the front and back between her legs that had a black symbol similar to a trident on the front.

In her right hand she held a steel flail with a long handle and two heavy chains hanging from it leading to a steel striking head each. The most unique part of her weapon were the steel heads that were crafted to look like _actual_ heads with each adorning an opposing emotion; one head held a sinister smile while the other had a frightening frown (The Mortal Drama). If anyone noticed closely you could see that she was looking at her current shield with a frown since it was the same design as the one all participants used for this event. So it was safe to assume this was not her normal shield she used.

When the signal to begin was given she wasted no time and started at a sprint through the course. She effortlessly dodged and blocked arrows with ease and when the training posts came at her she never lost a step as she defended against them and smashed them with her flail leaving behind splinters. When she entered the next pathway, that gave the others the most trouble, arrows were being fired at her from both sides simultaneously. The crowd was impressed as they saw her not only block with her shield but her flail as well and not a single arrow had hit her yet. Even when some Amazon archers came out to try and hit her from behind it was like she had eyes in the back of her head as she used her shield to block them. They were _really_ impressed when she maneuvered the two heads of her flail to block two incoming arrows from different areas.

After turning the last corner of the course, four training posts came at her from the front all at once but with a great heave she threw her shield that hit each post, bouncing from one to the next, and destroying them while catching it when it came back towards her. After that great display of her ability with a shield, the crowd erupted into loud cheers since they have never seen someone use their shield in such a way. Even all the Amazons were impressed by it and had to concede that an outsider had bested them in one of their most favored games. They even learned a few things as they watched her; it's never a bad idea to keep improving.

When she finished the course she just stood at the end, slightly out of breath, and finally breaking her concentration to look around and listen to all the cheers filling her ears. She broke her gaze from the crowd as she looked up at the balcony the Queens and their guests were viewing from and they addressed her and the crowd. Naruto noticed that she fixed her gaze on him for a few moments as if she were studying him before she turned her attention to the standing Queens.

"Well done warrior! It is clear to see that you have triumphed over all others in this event. You certainly bring great honor to your people and craft." said Queen Celestia.

"Yes, you most certainly do! Your skill with a shield goes unparalleled this day! Now, we will prolong this no further!" said Queen Xaera.

""We, the Queens of Skovos! Declare Johanna, the victor of the Shield Games!"" The crowd erupted into even louder cheers than before after the Queens' declaration. The now named Johanna, stood before the Queens and gave a deep bow to them in thanks and she exited the arena floor to allow them to set up for the next event.

* * *

"Wow, that was really something wasn't it? She really got the crowd going."

"Indeed. The spirits tell me she is a warrior of great skill, and one who journeys to fight against the darkness. But I am curious as to the gaze she sent your way."

"Yes, I noticed that too. So what did you do this time Naruto? I hope you didn't do something that would earn her ire."

"Hey, don't just go assuming that I did something! I've never even met her before, so I don't know what that look was about! But it wasn't like she was scowling at me. I bet she just couldn't take her eyes off me because of how dashing and manly I am." Naruto said with a teasing smirk.

"Oh please! She was definitely _not_ admiring you, so quit trying to boost your ego."

They all heard giggling coming from Queen Celestia who Naruto sat next to. "You are certainly not lacking in confidence are you Naruto?"

"Perhaps the young Sage is a little too confident. But that woman is someone to be admired. We should have started inviting foreign warriors much sooner than this. The people have certainly loved the displays of skills over the past few days. And witnessing the strengths of these foreign women will motivate our Amazon forces to continue to improve themselves."

"I agree Xaera, this should definitely be a tradition that we keep so that all of Sanctuary may know of the great potential that women everywhere can strive for."

"I like that, these games will give the young girls and women across Sanctuary the confidence to believe they can be more than just housewives, but protectors as well."

"You continue to surprise us Sage. The Askari are well aware of how most men outside of the Skovos Isles view women to be nothing more than the source of their offspring. So it is rare and refreshing to hear such words come from someone outside our shores."

"Well you don't have to worry about me thinking like that. I am well aware of what women are capable of. And I know a lot of women from the past that would probably kick my ass for saying otherwise."

"As well they should young Sage."

"Yeah yeah."

"And Naruto, please don't make a spectacle of yourself when Valla and Sonya come out in the next events."

"Hehehe, no can do Li-Ming. I wouldn't want them to think I forgot about them on the last day of the Games would I?" Everyone there in the balcony along with the Queens gave audible groans for having to go through with this once again.

"I really think Valla may just murder you in your sleep tonight if you embarrass her any further today."

"No she wouldn't, Valla and I are friends after all."

"I suppose it's good you're optimistic at least."

* * *

During the intermission, the arena floor was cleared to set up for the Archery Games that took about an hour before it was all finished and gave the audience time to get prepared for the next event. The Archery Games were set up by elimination rounds that started off with twenty-four participants and the further one advanced to the next round, the more difficult the targets would become. All participants used the same type of bows and arrows to make sure the event was based on the warriors' skill rather than their weapon. When the preparations were complete, the participants names were announced one at a time as they came out ready to begin, and Naruto was ready to begin as well.

As soon as Valla's name was announced Naruto began his plan as hundreds of clones lined the top rim of the open air arena and the majority started to chant Valla's name while the others were loudly cheering her on. The announcer had to stop introducing more competitors since the clones were getting louder and just about anyone could tell by the stoic look on Valla's face that she was _not_ amused. She was probably down right pissed but that didn't stop Naruto. That is until Valla took a chance and fired an arrow right at Naruto despite sitting next to the Queens and he had to move his head a little to the right unless he wanted to be eating it. Naruto just gave a nervous chuckle while scratching the back of his head and finally dispelled the clones.

"Okay, I'll be good." Everyone on the balcony let out sighs of relief including the Zarae guards that were there. They could see the trajectory of the arrow wasn't aimed at the Queens and already knew who she was aiming for so they weren't too concerned by it.

"I told you.~" Li-Ming said with a grin spread across her face.

"What, she wasn't trying to kill me; she knew I could dodge that."

"Whatever makes you feel better."

The crowd was shocked that someone would put the Queens in danger like that but they noticed who it was aimed at and that the Queens didn't seem to mind when they just gave a signal to continue with the event. The Queens, along with Li-Ming and Nazeebo were actually grateful Naruto's cheering wouldn't get out of hand.

The first round of the competition just used regular targets with red and white rings and the top sixteen scores would move on to the next round. Valla did exceptionally well as her friends suspected she would and easily made it to the next round. In the next round the standard targets were removed and were replaced by ten smaller targets that were placed further away and held at different elevations in order to break the monotony and make them concentrate harder. The first round was only held to see who had the best accuracy but the second round was also to test their speed so they were going to be timed to see who had the best accuracy and the quickest shots.

The second round again eliminated the eight lowest scores so the top eight would move to the third round. Even with this round being a little more challenging than the first, Valla was locked in and had the third highest score so she made it easily enough to the next round. She was a little surprised but also thankful that Naruto had remained quite while she was up, only waiting to cheer for her when her turn was finished. She didn't want to be distracted by his antics in the Games she truly wanted to test herself in; maybe she _wouldn't_ smother him in his sleep tonight.

The third round is where it really got exciting for the crowd and would definitely show who was truly talented in marksmanship. The same ten targets were left there but this time automated turrets would quickly launch a small wooden disk, about twice the width of the arrowhead, across each target. The goal for this event was to pierce each disk while pinning them to each target when they lined up behind them. It was a very difficult challenge that tested accuracy and the timing of their shots. Since there was only one disk per target this event wasn't testing their speed so they weren't put on the clock. Each participant would give the signal when they were ready for the next launched disk but they had to keep their bows faced down and arrows in their quivers until the disk was in the air.

The top four of this round would move on to the final round and the crowd 'oohed' at all the made shots and 'awed' at the close misses. Once again Valla showed everyone there how skilled she was and she managed to pierce every disk to the targets but she missed the bullseye on three of them, but the crowd still loved her performance as they along with Naruto cheered her on when she finished her round. Valla came out as the second in this round with the one ahead of her only missing one bullseye. Everyone was still impressed with the top four performers as they moved on to the final round.

The final round was set up as a little bit of a combination of all three events but included how well the participants performed on the run while maneuvering around obstacles. The set up for this round didn't take long and the crowd cheered loudly for what was to come, as a massive wooden post standing straight up about fifty feet tall on a wooden stage with wheels was pulled to the center of the arena. On the cylindrical post were twenty targets all around and at random elevations that they would be aiming for. A perimeter was set up an equal distance around the post that the participants would have to stay beyond while they were up.

The goal for this event was to run a single lap around the post while trying to hit each target on the move while random pieces of debris lined the area they would be running in so they would have to pay attention to the path in front of them. While they ran, eight disks would be launched again for each participant and if they could pierce a disk to the target in this round they would get extra points but they could ignore the flying disks if they wanted to and it wouldn't lower their scores. This round was also timed so the fastest to complete the lap while hitting the targets was also included in the final scores. In order to keep it fair, the participants weren't allowed to watch their competition or know their score until they completed the course, that way they couldn't adjust their strategy in order to try to outdo the person who went before them.

Everyone across Skovos watching the Games were greatly anticipating the final round of the Archery Games, it was entertaining but really showed what the best of the best were capable of. Just making it to the final round was a major achievement for any archer, win or lose, and the respect for these four was rising considerably. Every participant this round did well, and the debris in the field didn't cause anyone too much trouble except for maybe slowing them down a bit.

The first tried her hand at trying to get the extra points and she managed to pierce the first two disks but she missed pinning them to the targets so her score would be down so she decided to ignore them after those misses. The next to go did very well and she managed to hit all the targets with sixteen bullseyes as well as pinning four disks successfully to their targets, but she was a little slower than the first since she didn't go at a full sprint. The third made the decision to ignore the flying disks altogether believing if she missed, it would only lower her score so she ended up doing better than the first competitor by hitting all the targets but not getting every bullseye.

Valla was the last to go with a look of focus adorning her face. Her years of training with the Demon Hunters and her own instincts were put to good use as when the signal was made she sprinted off immediately firing her arrows. It seemed Valla did much better on the run as she easily maneuvered around the debris even vaulting a couple of times and shooting the targets while she was in the air; the crowd really loved that display. She managed to hit every target but only hitting thirteen bullseyes and was able to get six of the eight disks because she didn't have the right angle on the other two so she had to ignore them. She was by far the fastest to complete the course and with no misses it was clear that she had won this round.

The crowd along with Naruto and his friends erupted into loud cheers when Valla finished the course since she did so well in showing her skills while on the run. The judges had to take a few minutes to tally all the scores for the four participants from every round to see who would come out the victor of the Archery Games. When the scores were totaled the results were given to the Queens to make the announcement of the winner as all four participants stood before the balcony of the Queens.

"All four of you are truly masters of your craft and the displays you put on this day will go down in history just as those before you." said Queen Xaera.

"The performances you all have given this day shows us just how much dedication and practice you have put in to develop such skills with the bow and arrow. However, there can only be one victor over all others." said Queen Celestia.

""We, the Queens of Skovos! Declare Melete, the victor of the Archery Games!"" The crowd again burst into cheers for the winner and all the participants in the Archery Games for a couple of minutes until Queen Xaera put up her hand as a gesture for silence which the crowd obeyed.

"We congratulate you Melete, on your well earned victory. You are the pride of Skovos and all Amazon archers. But I would like to make note that these games were extremely close and the margin of victory of our Amazon was the closest we have ever had in the history of the Archery Games. Valla of the Demon Hunters and fellow hero who helped save our people and many others from the hands of the Coven is our second place winner who was only defeated by a single point. From all the games we have seen these past few days, I am glad to see that women such as her all over Sanctuary put as much devotion as the Askari into improving themselves for the betterment of their people. As a reward for doing so well in these games and for aiding our people, I am hereby allowing Valla to be trained in the way of Amazonian Archery! I believe she has more than earned that right! So please, let us once again give praise to not only these four participants but all warriors who have shown their great skills in each of their crafts!"

After the Queen's words the crowd once again gave loud cheers for the efforts of all the warriors that have participated in the games and for the warriors who have yet to show their skills in the final games, the War Games. The War Games were saved for last because it was the most violent event which showcased a warrior's full capabilities in battle. There were no blunted weapons and no real restrictions for the War Games. Killing was not encouraged or a necessity to win the War Games but fatalities were not uncommon outcomes. Only the most hardened and skilled warriors participated in these games. However, once Naruto learned of how brutal the War Games could be, he made a request to the Queens that he be allowed to be the acting medic for the War Games to retrieve and heal the competitors if they were in danger of dying. They saw no harm in the request and allowed him to be on the arena floor close to the medic station to prevent any casualties.

The War Games were the simplest of all events because all it entailed were no holds barred fights with two categories that allowed the warriors to either use their preferred weapons or hand to hand combat, which was the safer of the two since it usually had no deaths involved. There was also another subcategory that entailed team battles to show who had the best teamwork as a unit. The arena floor was cleared of the archery targets but a few more pieces of debris and boulders were placed around in random spots to give the field a more natural setting to imitate a real battlefield.

The unarmed hand to hand combat was the first event of the War Games to take place which more of the younger warriors signed up for because of the decreased likelihood of being killed. There were many impressive fights and these women used all their training and cunning against their opponents to earn their victory. Mostly Amazons participated in the event but there were a couple of different classes of warriors who participated in the hand to hand event. Naruto could hear the people saying that one was a rumored Assassin that roamed Sanctuary and another was a female Monk from Ivgorod. He was especially impressed with their type of fighting because it reminded him of the different martial art techniques he has seen from the Elemental Nations. In the end the Assassin was able to win the small hand to hand tournament just barely pulling out the win against the Monk.

The armed combat rounds were next and first up were the team battles that were all five on five fights. Naruto made some clones on standby so they would be the ones to rush onto the field when someone would take a debilitating blow that would take them out of the fight and would need immediate medical attention. Like all the events the majority of the teams were Amazons that came from different squads and only two others consisted of Assassin teams. Unfortunately for the Assassins the Amazons had won the team tournament. The Assassins would try to use speed and deception by using distractions to beat their opponents but the Amazons showed they were in complete sync with each other and had the overall better teamwork. The Amazons used their greater defensive capabilities to fend off attacks and work together to outmaneuver their opponents and overwhelm them. Naruto was glad that no real major injuries were given and no one was really going for killing blows so he didn't have to heal too many fighters.

By the time of the last rounds of the War Games were up it was already late into the evening and many of the Oracles had used some light spells to illuminate the arena so the games could continue on and everyone could see clearly. The last rounds were the one on one armed combat rounds. Just like in the team battles every warrior was allowed to use their weapons of choice. At the start of the event like every other, the combatants were announced with many Amazon warriors and the only two who weren't Amazons were Sonya and the winner of the Shield Games, Johanna. Naruto and the clones on the sideline made sure Sonya was cheered for but this time just being a few octaves lower than usual so as not to upset her. Even though they didn't really think she would mind, which she didn't, she's not Valla after all.

The one on one fights were a little more intense than the others since they could put their entire focus on the opponent in front of them. Every warrior fought hard but some were just a little more skilled than others and those who lost would have to admit defeat when they received an injury that would only hinder them if they continued on. However, other warriors like Sonya and Johanna who also had been hit with some fierce blows would fight through the pain, when a lesser warrior would have given up, and went on to win their matches. Naruto had healed all those who had been defeated which they were all thankful for despite their losses but he was not allowed to heal the warriors who advanced to the next round of the tournament to also test their endurance and ability to fight through the pain and exhaustion.

In the end, it came to the last two who were the only non-Amazons much to the home crowd's disappointment. Their disappointment didn't last long however because they would remember the great performances they put on in their previous matches and were greatly looking forward to the final bout of these two powerful women as their cheers grew louder. Sonya and Johanna stared the other down with a calm intensity before their final match would begin. They both sported several minor injuries that would only slow them down slightly. These two women greatly enjoyed the rush that comes from battle, and at this point winning didn't really matter to them. Only a good hard fight would quell each of these warriors and they believed the woman standing in front of them would give them a great one.

Once the signal of the final match was given, the two women did not hesitate to meet their opponent head on as they rushed each other. Since the beginning of the matches Johanna wielded her rightful shield that she had been denied to use in the Shield Games. It was a heavy steel tower-shield that had what looked like a stained-glass pattern in black and yellow and held a similar design to the trident symbol on the front cloth of her armor (Hallowed Bulwark). As they rushed each other, Johanna used her great shield to block the heavy blows of Sonya's dual swords which she had to admit where a lot more powerful than the Amazons' she had faced previously; she knew her left arm would be completely numb by the end of the match with how hard Sonya's blows were.

Sonya had difficulty breaking Johanna's guard proving to her that she was a strong opponent and her shield was better equipped to take hard hits than the Amazon shields. When Sonya pulled her swords back to go in for another blow Johanna reacted quickly and let loose her own attack with her flail swinging the two striking heads aiming for her side. Sonya was able to counter with the flat side of her larger sword to redirect the attack but Johanna wasn't finished as she used her shield as a ram and bashed the front of Sonya's body sending her flying back but she was able to keep her balance as she landed on one knee and slid back.

Sonya was stunned a little but this only brought more excitement to her battle, as she used her lower position to crouch and gave a great war cry as she quickly leaped over the gap between them crashing right in front of Johanna with a heavy blow that cratered the ground. This time it was Johanna that was sent flying back as she rolled with the momentum and finally ended on her feet. Each warrior got a strong blow in but their fight was far from over.

The final fight was the most exciting fight the crowd had seen that day as both fighters never stayed down for long when their opponent landed a strike. Sonya and Johanna were trading blows equally but with Johanna's heavy armor and Sonya's natural toughness both fighters were only sporting bruises so far, even if they were more visible on Sonya since she had more of her body exposed. After about fifteen minutes of nonstop fighting everyone could tell the exhaustion was getting to them since they had little time to rest between fights because the other fights didn't last nearly as long as theirs was. Despite their exhaustion neither were willing to stop.

After some more time passed, both fighters ended up losing their respective weapons and shield and the fight had devolved into a brawl that had their faces bloodied and bruised. With another war cry from the two warriors they both landed heavy blows that sent each other flying back and landing in the dirt, Sonya on her back and Johanna on her chest. It seemed to be sheer coincidence that they both landed right next to their opponent's weapon, Sonya next to Johanna's flail and Johanna next to Sonya's larger sword with the wider blade. Both warriors seemed to be of the same mind as they picked up their opponent's weapon and faced each other with labored breaths.

This fight was one of the greatest they have had in a long time and nothing else mattered than to finish it. Both fighters were in a war rage and weren't fully thinking about where they were or that they held no real grudge against their current opponent. All they wanted right now was to finish off the enemy that was in front of them which is what Naruto could see in their eyes and feel in their emotions as they readied for their final confrontation. Naruto watched them closely as they leaped towards each other with Sonya swinging the flail at her enemy's head and Johanna swinging the sword at her enemy's neck while they gave no concern for defending themselves and he knew if he let them continue they would both be headless corpses.

Naruto had no choice but to interfere as he jumped in the middle of their attacks while reinforcing his arms with chakra to take the blows for him. He blocked the two heads of the flail and the large sword with his forearms but he underestimated just how strong these women were even through their exhaustion as the flail cracked parts of his left arm and the sword nearly cut all the way through the bone in his right arm. The crowd was stunned to silence as they saw their hero interfere with the final battle of the games. Some of the older veteran warriors and audience members with keen eyes, including both the Queens, could tell that the final attack would have left both fighters dead and understood why he chose to interfere and commended him for his efforts to save lives.

Both warriors were broken out of their battle induced rage by the man who one of them had been friendly with prior to the games and the other who realized he was the honored guest of the Queens. "Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow! (sigh) You know, I may be good at healing, but I don't think I can heal two headless bodies. I don't think anyone's _that_ good."

"Naruto?"

"Hey Sonya, how's it goin? And you, Johanna right? How are you doing today?"

"Could be better I suppose."

"I hear ya. So you ladies okay now? Not gonna try and kill each other anymore are you?"

"No, I let my Fury take hold of me. It was not my intention to kill a fellow warrior such as yourself." said Sonya.

"Nor mine. It seems I allowed my Wrath to get the better of me as well. Thank you for stopping us… Naruto was it?"

"That's right!"

"Will you be alright? Your arms must be useless now." said Johanna as she felt Naruto pull his arm off of the sword she was holding and they both hung limply at his sides as his wounds were already healing. _'He must have a high tolerance for pain if he is not even showing any signs of discomfort.'_

"Me? Oh I'm fine. Nothin to worry about. But I gotta say, you ladies can still pack a powerful blow when you should rightfully be unconscious from exhaustion by now… You two are scary." Both women let out loud laughs at that, not angered at all by his interference. They were glad he stopped them from making a fatal mistake.

The three were broken out of their amusement as the entire audience roared with cheers for the greatest fight of the Games they have born witness to. Many of the crowd realized Naruto interfered in order to save the two warriors from killing each other and they were cheering for his compassion. Others were just so impressed that their hero could take two devastating blows like that and act like there was nothing wrong. Either way the entire coliseum and others watching around Skovos could be heard cheering from the outcome of the final Games. After a while of more cheering the crowd was quieted down as the Queens stood up to address them.

"I don't think I can truly put into words how incredible these final Games have been. But you two warriors of foreign lands have utterly astounded the people of Skovos. I believe I speak for women all across Sanctuary that you two are surely a tribute to our great gender." said Queen Xaera.

"And you Naruto. The hero to the Skovos people continue to show just how generous you really are. To put your own body in the face of danger to prevent the untimely end of these two great warriors. Your kindness is truly a blessing to all who receives it." said Queen Celestia.

"Well said, but because of this fortunate interference, the Philios Games have officially come to an end."

""We, the Queens of Skovos! Declare Sonya and Johanna, the co-victors of the War Games!""

The crowd went into an uproar of cheers once again as the two warriors bowed to the Queens and stood tall and strong for the audience. As the cheers began dying out as the crowd started to disperse back into the city, Naruto led Sonya and Johanna to the medic station so he could heal them.

"Alright, let's get you ladies all healed up so we can all finally get some rest."

"I think you need to get yourself healed first. One of your arms must be crushed and the other was nearly cut off."

"Like I said, you don't need to worry about me. I have a fast healing rate. See, they're pretty much already healed." Naruto told Johanna as he showed them his arms and started moving them around to show he had full mobility in both.

"Impressive, warriors everywhere would kill to have such speed in self-healing. I am sure you must have been a great frustration to your foes." said Sonya.

"Hahaha, that's right! Nothing keeps _me_ down for long!"

As they entered the room just inside the stadium walls, Naruto activated the barrier kunai already in the four walls of the room and proceeded to enter Six Paths Sage Mode. When he entered his glowing form both warriors became overwhelmed with his power but none more so than Johanna as she observed in complete awe the light that surrounded him. She did not even notice when he placed a hand on her and Sonya to start healing them. She was broken out of her state of awe when he was finished and Sonya was the first to speak.

"Incredible. I feel as if I could fight a hundred more battles like the last one we had and still keep going. I feel as if my whole body has been rejuvenated and not just my injuries."

"Yeah it will feel that way for a little while, but you two still need to rest. That reenergized feeling doesn't last that long and soon that exhaustion will catch up to you, so don't go out starting another fight or something."

"I see. Thank you Naruto. I had wanted to make a request of you after the Games so now is a good time as any."

"Sure. What can I do for you?"

"I said that I am going on a journey but I don't have any real destination. So I wanted to ask of you if I may accompany you on your travels. Our spars have shown me that you are a greater warrior than I, and you already surround yourself with strong allies who I have had the pleasure of hearing their stories. So now I find myself yearning to travel and fight alongside comrades once again."

"Really? Well of course you can come with us! I'm sure I'll be getting into a lot more fights in the future so I'd be glad if you fought by our side. I'll even try to make sure to help you get more funds to rebuild your capital like I promised. We'll be leaving in a few more days so I'll be sure to let you know when we're ready."

"I thank you. I will see you again when we depart from Skovos." said Sonya as she moved to leave the coliseum and get some rest.

"Sure thing, I look forward to it." Naruto then looked to Johanna as she continued to stand there just staring at him. "Hey, you alright? I healed all your injuries didn't I?"

"…Tomorrow. I must speak with you. It is of great importance that I see you."

"That's no problem for me. My ship is at the southern end of the docks."

"I will find it." Johanna soon left having much to think about before she speaks with him the next day.

* * *

The Skovos Isles were still abuzz with excitement the following day after the Games had ended. Everyone couldn't stop talking about all the great displays of skills that were shown the previous days, especially the final day of the Games and the War Games that ended it all. It was mid-morning at the docks Johanna was walking along looking for Naruto's ship when she saw the man that had accompanied Naruto to observe the Games alongside the Queens.

"Pardon me! You are a friend of the Sage Naruto correct?"

"Correct. Ah, you are the warrior who stood on equal ground with Sonya. That was a most inspiring battle. How may I assist you?"

"Thank you. Would you be so kind as to direct me to his ship. I have something I must speak with him about, it is important."

"Of course. Please, follow me."

Nazeebo guided Johanna onto their ship where they saw Naruto dressed in only his black t-shirt and orange pants while going through some martial arts forms for some light training and Li-Ming was sitting in a chair off to the side reading one of her tomes. Valla was off getting some training from the Amazons in their archery techniques that she would get for the next couple of days. Naruto stopped when he saw Nazeebo walking back up the plank along with Johanna and remembered she needed to speak with him. "Hey Nazeebo, back so soon! And Johanna, I take it you're here for that talk right?"

"That's right, I need to confirm that you are the man the Crusaders have been searching for."

"I'm being looked for?" Naruto asked as his thoughts turned frantic. _'_ _Oh, come on_ _?! I've only been here maybe two months now and a group of people are already looking for me! There's now way information travels that fast in this world!'_

"Yes. Ten years ago a Priest of Zakarum was given a prophecy that a peerless warrior bathed in the light would come to purge Sanctuary of all the burning Hell's evils. The Crusaders were given a secondary task of finding the one who would be the guiding light that will lead our crusade."

"Okay hold on. I can understand why you would think I'm the one you're looking for with that light show I gave you and Sonya last night when I healed you two. But isn't a crusade like a holy war or something. I can tell you have a good heart and are fighting for what is right but I'm not really the religious type; so I really don't think I'm the guy you're looking for."

"You must be! The power I felt from you is unlike any other I have ever witnessed and you are the man who has gained the favor of the two Queens; which is one of the signs we were told to look for."

Li-Ming having listened to the start of the conversation became interested and wanted to learn more of what Johanna was talking about. "What are the other signs that you were told to look for? I've only known Naruto for a short while and I can tell you he is definitely not a follower of the Zakarum faith since I doubt he's ever even heard of it before."

"She's right. I have no idea what a Zakarum is."

"Regardless if he is a follower of our faith, if his ideals and goals are similar to our own, he can still be the one the Crusaders can rally behind. And from the tales of your deeds that I have heard from the people of Skovos, not to mention the Queens themselves, I can already tell that you are here to fight against the darkness."

"Well I guess that's technically right since I'm fighting to save lives which means I have to fight against the evil of the world. But I'm still really not convinced. Like Li-Ming said, what other signs were you told to look for?"

"The prophecy stated that the man would come to reunite a misguided people, earn the trust of the two Great Queens, restore the glory of the Broken People, free the tortured souls from the Fallen One, and usher in a new age of hope to be lived without fear of the taint of Hell. But the greatest sign of the one who we search for is the man who is bathed in the purest of lights will fight the one true Evil."

"Hahaha. Well, you're certainly on the right track I suppose, Johanna. He fits the criteria of two of those signs already, but I guess we'll have to wait and see about the others you spoke of. Sounds like you'll have your hands full in the future Naruto."

"I hate prophecies."

"So you _are_ the one! What two signs have you fulfilled?"

"The misguided people would be my own. The Umbaru have followed a bloody tradition for generations that was ultimately meaningless, but this man, my friend has shown the Umbaru the truths of our way of life. And because of his deeds my people are no longer killing each other, but are working to become as one once again. It is for that reason I will follow Naruto until his journey has come to an end."

"Nazeebo is right, and everyone knows who the two Great Queens are. The Queens of Skovos are the only Queens with any real power in all of Sanctuary. All other Queens are just married to the King that runs their country. And we all know who has recently gained their favor. Face it Naruto, you're definitely the one Johanna and the Crusaders have been looking for."

"I guess it's kind of hard to refute that, but that's only two out of six signs so your odds aren't all that great right now. I'm just a guy looking to help anyone I can okay. And I don't think you should rely on prophecies too much. I believe that everyone is in command of their own future, I don't really like the concept of fate or destiny. Well, since I doubt I can change your mind about this, what is it exactly that you want now that you have found me?"

"I wish to follow you in battle to fight by your side and restore the faith of the Zakarum."

"I see. Well I don't have a problem with you traveling with us but don't go thinking you have to treat me as someone special okay. I'm not perfect and I can make mistakes like anyone else. You can just be yourself here and I would very much like it if we could become friends. I think we'll be leaving Skovos in a few more days so I'll make sure to make more room for you to stay with us by then."

"Thank you, I will be ready to depart by then." Johanna soon left the ship to prepare herself for the upcoming journey and she was very excited to have found the man the Crusaders have searched for. She knew deep down that he was the one, and maybe with him, the crusade will finally come to an end.

"Well that was an interesting conversation. You just keep attracting more and more people don't you?"

"I guess."

"I mean Valla has already stated she wanted to keep traveling with us since you seem to keep running into demons so often that her hunt would be so much easier just following you. Then Sonya wants to come with us because she doesn't really have anywhere else to go and enjoys fighting, and now Johanna wants to follow you because you are the one her people have been searching for because of a prophecy."

"Yeah, our group has seemed to double after a single trip."

"It is not an unfortunate circumstance. The Crusader and I are of similar beliefs that you will bring about a great change to our world. She is guided by her prophecy and I am guided by the spirits. We will follow you through the Burning Hells if we must to see a better future."

"I just hope I'm not leading you all to your deaths."

"I have faith in you my friend." After his words Nazeebo left to go to the city like he initially was before he was stopped by Johanna.

"What about you Li-Ming. Why are _you_ following me?"

"Me? Well for the mystery mostly. I just can't wrap my mind around this puzzle that stands before me. And I have a fabulous mind! You can't know how frustrating it is for me not knowing something. I know we all have our secrets and I promised not to pry into yours until you deem yourself ready but I am also curious to see where your journey leads you. Because I have to say, it certainly hasn't been boring with you around. I have gained a lot of useful knowledge since traveling with you."

"But aren't you afraid of all the danger I've put you in? I'll admit that I really am a danger magnet. And I believe things will just continue to escalate the longer you follow me. I definitely don't mind the company and I will do everything I can to keep everyone around me alive and safe but this can't be easy for you can it?"

"Nothing in this life _is_ easy Naruto. I suppose following you for answers I have no right to is a bit selfish on my part, but I did not lie when I said I considered you a friend when I thought we were going to die when we first arrived off the coast of Skovos, no matter how embarrassing that was. And of course I'm afraid of the danger; fear is just an instinct that ensures survival, but I'm a big girl, so I know how to control my fear even in the face of death. I know my limits and what I'm capable of, but with you around I feel as if I can push beyond those limits. Just another part of the mystery that is Naruto Uzumaki I suppose."

"Well, I'm glad I can instill such confidence in yourself, and it's never embarrassing to let the people around you know you care for them. I don't think anyone should be on their own for too long, so I think it's best to surround yourself with people you can trust. I'm really glad that we have become friends Li-Ming."

"I am as well. Nazeebo and now Johanna believe that you will be the center of a new era so how can I resist seeing history being made before me. As long as there's a destination I'll continue to follow you Naruto. I am prepared for whatever may come."

Naruto nodded to Li-Ming as she returned to her reading and Naruto started back up his light training while beginning a conversation with his tenants. _'You guys heard all that right? How the hell could they have known about me ten years ago? I haven't even been here for three months yet!'_

' _I don't think it's as complicated as it may seem Naruto.'_

' _What do you mean Saiken?'_

' _Think about what you were doing ten years ago.'_

' _Ten years ago?'_

' _I see where he's going with this. It was the Uchiha's funeral around ten years ago.' said Kurama._

' _Sasuke. Then, that was the night Old-man Sage came to speak with me.'_

' _That's right, and that night you gave him your answer about doing all this and going to another world. If our old man was in contact with these other gods of these worlds then he must have informed them that you accepted this task.'_

' _So then the god of this world gave these Crusaders a vision or something of me in order for them to search for me.'_

' _It seems that way. I can't see any other explanation of how they would know about you ten years ago.'_

' _I guess you're right. Thanks Saiken, Kurama. I suppose this doesn't change much, just that I gained another ally, but I really don't like knowing that I am part of another prophecy.'_

' _Don't worry about it too much Naruto-san. All you can do is what our father asked of you; just do what it is you think is right.' said Kokuo._

' _I will.'_

* * *

A few days later it was the night before Naruto and his group were set to depart from Skovos just a few hours before sunrise when running could be heard along the docks and leading to Naruto's ship. A couple of Amazon warriors were speeding to the vessel in order to wake its inhabitants by order of the Queens. Once they boarded the ship a warrior began banging on the door that lead down to the cabins of the ship. After a few more moments of banging the door opened but not before the warrior stopped swinging her fist as it made contact with the face of the one who opened it.

Naruto stood in the doorway with the Amazon's fist still connected to his face as she was in shock that she struck her people's savior. "Well hello to you too."

"I am so sorry! Please forgive me Hero of Skovos!" she said as she quickly removed her fist.

"It's fine, you just helped to wake me up more fully. And you really don't have to keep calling me that, just Naruto is fine or Sage if nothing else. So what can I do for you ladies?"

"It's Queen Celestia! She requests your presence along with all your companions! It is urgent!"

"Okay. We'll be there shortly." As the two warriors went back to the palace, Naruto turned around to wake up Li-Ming, Nazeebo and Valla when he spotted them all standing in their doorways. "Did you all hear that?"

They all gave nods of confirmation as they turned back to their rooms to get properly dressed to answer the Queen's summons. They all couldn't help but think what happened to Queen Celestia and why she would need all of them.

It didn't take them long to get ready and head towards the palace and after a short while later they were in the throne room along with not just the Queens and their Zarae guards but Sonya and Johanna were there as well. Since it was Queen Celestia who had requested everyone to be present she was the first to speak to them, and everyone there noticed that she looked a little dreary and not as pristine as they are accustomed to.

"Hello everyone, I am sorry to have awakened you all from your slumber like this but I have received visions that involves all of you, well except for one of you." She said as she gave a pointed look towards Naruto that everyone took notice of.

"I take it that one would be me?"

"Yes, no matter how hard we have tried to evoke a vision of yourself, even with the talismans blocking our visions gone, none of the Oracles of Skovos including myself have been able to get any sort of sign that you even exist in this world. I have learned not to always rely on my visions since they are only a possibility for the future, but it is disturbing to not have any sort of understanding of the impact _you_ will have on the future. However, despite these lack of visions, you have already earned the trust of the Skovos people as well as my own."

"Thank you. I appreciate that you would put your faith in me, but what exactly were your visions about?"

"A great war is coming. My visions were only glimpses of many battles that will be fought in the near future against the forces of Hell. All five warriors that surround you right now as well as a few others were in these battles. It is my understanding that these warriors will be traveling with you correct?"

"That's right. Sonya and Johanna are going to join us in the morning when we depart."

"Yes, that is why I find it most curious that all these warriors filled my visions but the one they surround was nowhere in sight. But my visions also felt like they were incomplete, like something important was missing and I believe that you, Naruto, are that missing piece. The last of the visions I had came to me as words. 'The End Times draw near. The last of the Lords of Hell will rise to conquer the mortal realm. In order to ensure the salvation of Sanctuary the great warriors must return to the beginning, to where the Lord of Terror was unleashed."


	7. Chapter 7

AN: A bit of a history lesson in the beginning (sorry if it bores you). I didn't go into too much detail about the history just a general overview so if I missed some things I either left it out on purpose or I may have overlooked some information, but the start of Diablo III cannon is definitely here.

On another note, there will be times that I slightly stray from Naruto canon, if you couldn't already tell, and I may add or subtract something. In this case I will be adding something that wasn't there, but not to spoil anything, even if I don't think it's a big deal, I'll leave a brief note at the end of the chapter.

* * *

Chapter 7

"The last of the visions I had came to me as words. 'The End Times draw near. The last of the Lords of Hell will rise to conquer the mortal realm. In order to ensure the salvation of Sanctuary the great warriors must return to the beginning, to where the Lord of Terror was unleashed."

"That… sounds ominous. So… um, I'm a little hazy on my world history. Can someone remind me who the Lords of Hell are and where the Lord of Terror was unleashed? Just to… refresh my memory."

"You are definitely no Sage we have ever heard of are you?" said Queen Xaera.

"That's what I keep trying to tell everybody."

"Well you are aware of the realms of Heaven and Hell are you not?" asked Queen Celestia.

"Of course! You know… Heaven has all the clouds… and stuff, and Hell… has the fire and… the flames?"

Everyone just stared at Naruto trying to blink the astonishment out of their eyes but Celestia chose to press forward. "Yes, well the High Heavens are home to the Angels who are led by the Angiris Council who are the five Archangels. Not too much else is known about the Angels except the Archangel Tyrael who created the Horadrim on Sanctuary. The Burning Hells were once ruled over by the Greater Evils who were the seven most powerful demons created by Hell, but they are also divided into what we know as the three Prime Evils and the four Lesser Evils. The Prime Evils and Lesser Evils are not only the arch enemies of the Heavens but are also rivals with each other, which caused them to be in a near constant state of civil war."

"Well that's good right? With all that infighting it would be pretty hard to win a war over your primary enemy. If they were really united I bet the Angels would have had a harder time dealing with them right?"

"Yes, that is true. But at some point in their civil war, two of the Lesser Evils, Belial and Azmodan, were able overcome and banish the Prime Evils from the Burning Hells. The three great demons became stranded here on Sanctuary for a time, which created a serious problem for the people of that era. That became known as the Dark Exile."

"Oh, well that's bad."

"Very. It was some time after the Dark Exile that Tyrael wanted to give aid to Sanctuary by creating the Horadrim who were a group of mortal warriors given the task of imprisoning the Prime Evils within the Soulstones. These stones were crafted to contain the essences of the three Prime Evils. It was over a quarter of a millennium ago that the Horadrim finally succeeded in capturing the Prime Evils who were known as Mephisto the Lord of Hatred, Baal the Lord of Destruction, and Diablo the Lord of Terror."

"That last one, the Lord of Terror, is the one from your visions isn't it?"

"Yes, the very same. Diablo was captured and imprisoned within his soulstone to the west of the southern mountains of Khanduras. As the years went by, a Horadric cathedral with extensive catacombs was built over Diablo's burial grounds and the town of Tristram was built around it. As several more decades passed, the people abandoned the cathedral and what lay beneath it went forgotten. It would be close to two-hundred years later and just over twenty years ago from now that the Lord of Terror would be freed from his prison and what became known as the Darkening of Tristram would set in motion the events to come for Sanctuary."

"That, is some heavy stuff."

"That isn't even the half of it Naruto. I apologize for our friend's ignorance in these matters my Queen, but I can inform him of the rest when we continue our journey. I wouldn't want to keep yourself and Queen Xaera awake any further just to give a history lesson that we all should know."

"It's not my fault I hated reading when I was a kid; little miss know-it-all." Naruto said in a whiny tone towards Li-Ming while mumbling the last part.

"What was that Naruto?" Li-Ming said in and eerily cheery voice and a wide smile that made Naruto nervous.

"Nothing! I said nothing, no one heard anything!" Naruto quickly said while avoiding her gaze and whistling innocently to himself.

Queen Celestia couldn't help but laugh at their antics as she addressed Li-Ming. "I thank you for your assistance Li-Ming; knowing your enemy is a valuable asset in war. I leave further explanations in your hands."

"Don't worry Queen Celestia, you can count on me."

"I know we can. These visions had brought much fear to me initially, but as I look at the brave warriors in front of me, my fear is lessened significantly. The Lords of Hell have been defeated before and I believe that all of you who stand before us will ensure the safety of Sanctuary once more."

"Yes, I agree with Celestia. I believe our future is in capable hands. I must thank you again Sage, and Demon Hunter for all you have done for our country. If you ever need aid from the Askari people, you will have it." said Queen Xaera.

"I am honored my Queen."

"Thank you Queen Xaera, I greatly appreciate that. And likewise, if you and your people ever need my help again I would gladly give it." Naruto bent down a few feet in front of the Queens' thrones as placed a Hiraishin marker for them to use. "This marker I put here can be used for emergencies if you ever need it. Either you two or any of the Amazons or Oracles, if you're indisposed, can just push a little of your energies into this seal and I will be quickly made aware and I can transport myself here instantly."

"That is very generous of you Naruto. We will be sure to use this if we are ever in dire need of your help." said Queen Celestia and Queen Xaera nodded her head to him in thanks as well.

"You're welcome. I know we probably won't see each other again for a while, cuz I'll definitely be back to visit one day! And aside from all the Coven and pirate business, I enjoyed my time in your country greatly. So I'll be seeing you all later!" Naruto and his group said their farewells to the Queens and Zarae Amazons as they did so in return, and he and his group began to leave deciding to just get on with their journey since they were all awake already. But before he exits the throne room Naruto turns back to the Queens almost forgetting something. "Oh yeah! I almost forgot. About those two giant demon horns on the beach, I decided that I'll leave them with you. I figured since those demons caused your people so much trouble that you should keep them as trophies to put on display or use however you want. Unless they bring you bad memories then I could just destroy them and be done with it. Whatever you want me to do, I'll be happy with your choice."

The Queens considered his words and had a brief discussion with each other and Xaera gave their answer with a smile on her face. "Very well Sage, we believe the people will appreciate the sentiment; giving them a form of closure for what we have lost and what has been given back to us. We may have a few ideas for what to do with them, so we will accept your offer. You have our thanks."

"No problem! They're all yours. Well, wish us luck!" With that Naruto left the chambers with the Queens giving him and his group silent prayers for what they will endure.

* * *

Naruto and his group had left the Skovos Isles just before dawn to continue their journey but this time with a real destination in mind from Queen Celestia's visions. This time his journey had a lot more at stake due to the implications of her visions. They had been on the ocean for a few hours now with everyone deciding to get some more sleep when they departed; leaving Naruto's clones to handle the ship in the early hours of the morning much to their annoyance, which they voiced to Naruto, keeping him awake a while longer than the others. Naruto also had made sure to create two more rooms on the boat, making it a little larger, for Sonya and Johanna so everyone still had their own rooms to sleep in.

It was late in the morning when everyone was up and about on the ship trying to keep busy since they had a far longer trek on the ocean than from the first time Naruto, Li-Ming, and Nazeebo set sail from the Marshlands. It was decided that they would sail to Aranoch Bay which was north northwest from Philios instead of going to Kingsport like Li-Ming had mentioned to the Queens when they first arrived on Philios. Kingsport to Tristram would be a longer journey on land than it would be from the bay, so they would save some time this way. Naruto looked around at all the new friends he was surrounded by and when he spotted Nazeebo standing in a meditative posture towards the rear of the ship he walked over to him and put his arm around his shoulder and started speaking to him in a dramatic tone.

"What happened to us Nazeebo? We used to be the proud masters of this journey. Great halls filled with red meats and no vegetables in sight, the ramen flowing like rivers with no end, beautiful maidens happily waiting on us hand and foot, the robust stench of man filling the air with our tenacity and vigor! But now look at us, we have been overrun by the fairer gender, outnumbered, and falling to the wayside. Where did it all go wrong?"

"I do not believe any of those things have occurred on this journey."

"Don't listen to him Nazeebo. He's just being an idiot again, as usual. And there's certainly a stench of something, but it's definitely not tenacity _or_ vigor."

"Are you sure this is the man the Crusaders have been searching for? For your sake I certainly hope not."

"I… do not know. The signs were there but… he is not what I had quite envisioned to be the one to light the path of the crusade."

"Hahaha! I have missed this. The bonding of comrades is a wonderful thing. I will enjoy this journey greatly!"

"Hehehe! Well at least someone knows how to take a joke, right Sonya? The rest of you ladies need to liven up a bit more. Quit being so serious all the time and enjoy life while you can!"

"I'll enjoy life when the Burning Hells can no longer infest this world."

"I'll hold you to that Valla."

"I enjoy life plenty thank you very much. It's just that you seem to make it a little more dim-witted sometimes, and I would rather not lose anymore of my intelligence than I already have with you around."

"Really laying it on thick Li-Ming."

"Hahaha! You know I'm not _completely_ serious Naruto."

"Yeah, that makes me feel _so_ much better."

"After what we just discussed with the Queens I don't think this is the time for merriment. The Lords of Hell are on the move once again and the crusade has just become far more ominous."

"I understand what you mean Johanna but we aren't going to be fighting this alone. I know most of us don't know each other too well, but we'll get to know each other with time. I mean Valla is just starting to get used to me."

"Unfortunately."

"Yes, well, what I'm trying to get at is everyone here is someone who can be relied on. All of us are capable of holding our own, but together I don't think there's anything that can really stop us from succeeding. Whatever comes from these visions of Queen Celestia, we'll put a stop to them."

"I agree! Wars cannot be fought alone, but with comrades the day is sure to be won! I will not fail to protect and defend my companions!"

"Well said Sonya. I'll do everything I can to protect those who can't protect themselves and everyone who is precious to me, but you can't let all these heavy visions and prophecies weigh you down. The time to get serious will come soon enough, so I think it's best to enjoy what little peace we have while we can, _when_ we can. We are all human too, so you shouldn't force yourselves to be on edge all the time. That's just a quick way to burn yourselves out."

They all listened to his words and took them into consideration. Maybe it _was_ okay to relax a little when they could, but none of them could really drop their guards completely with the way their world was. Perhaps a time would come when they could live a more peaceful life, but that time would not come for a while yet.

* * *

It was near dusk as the sun was getting ready to set and their first day out on the sea from leaving the Skovos Isles was coming to an end. The group of warriors had just finished eating their dinner and they were all now just relaxing in the common area sitting in cushioned chairs ready to restart the conversation of Sanctuary's history.

"Well Li-Ming, I think we should finish that history lesson Queen Celestia left off from. I'd like to know more about what happened just over twenty years ago."

"Are you truly not aware of these things? Many historians and scholars have made several books noting the events of Tristram. Most notably being the works of Deckard Cain who has first hand accounts of what the town of Tristram went through. They should be readily accessible to anyone who wish to learn." said Johanna.

"Let's just say I've been preoccupied and never had a chance to learn about it. Like I said before, I'm not really a huge fan of books."

"I am unaware of these events as well. The Umbaru are aware of our world's history from past centuries because of the few Umbaru who have ventured out from the Teganze on their own have come back with that knowledge, or the few outsiders who come into our lands share their wisdom like you yourself did Li-Ming. But I am afraid that no one has ventured outside of our lands for quite some time to learn of these events over two decades ago. So I would like to learn of these events as well."

"That is understandable Nazeebo. Well then, I believe Queen Celestia left off when Diablo was released from his prison beneath Tristram Cathedral. But I should give you a little more background before I get to that. You see after the Cathedral was abandoned for nearly two-hundred years, the ruler of Khanduras, known as King Leoric, decided that he would move the seat of his kingdom to be centered around Tristram. So just over twenty-five years ago, King Leoric commissioned a new manor to be built, for him and his family, a small distance from the cathedral, which would ultimately be his undoing."

Li-Ming continued to explain what happened a few years after Leoric and his family settled into his newly built castle. They learned that Leoric slowly started to go mad as Diablo's Soulstone began to corrupt him. This led King Leoric to become increasingly paranoid as he started executing everyone around who he thought was against him. He even started a futile war with the by far larger armies of Westmarch sending his eldest son, Aidan, and his men seemingly to their deaths. After the deaths of so many innocents under his rule, Leoric was finally killed by his own men for his increasing madness, and cursed them all as he died.

Aidan had survived and returned from his father's war against Westmarch, only to find his kingdom in ruins because of the recently slain mad king. He also found out that his mother was executed as well by her own husband. Aidan then learned that his younger brother Albrecht had been missing and vowed to save him beneath the cathedral where he was told he was taken. Aidan along with two others by the names of Moreina and Jazreth, a rogue and a sorcerer, ventured beneath the labyrinth of Tristram Cathedral and fought the evils within. This included his own father whose vengeful spirit would not rest as he became the Skeleton King with the help of the power from Diablo's Soulstone. They eventually met with the Lord of Terror himself and they defeated him as well with Aidan giving the final blow.

Their victory was a hollow one for Aidan as he saw that his brother was the one who Diablo used as his vessel after he removed the Soulstone. During their battle, Diablo's Soulstone had been cracked and could no longer completely contain his essence. So Aidan took it upon himself to suppress the demon by plunging the Soulstone into his forehead. Aidan was unable to completely suppress Diablo as he was plagued with nightmares and was slowly becoming corrupted. He later left Tristram with demons left behind in his wake as they destroyed the town and its inhabitants and would become known as the Dark Wanderer as he moved east. Under the guidance of Diablo, the Dark Wanderer moved to release his brothers Baal in the deserts of Lut Gholein and Mephisto beneath the Temple of Kurast.

Another group of warriors began trailing the Dark Wanderer as they moved east defeating the two Lesser Evils of Andariel and Duriel along the way. After the Dark Wanderer freed Baal and Mephisto, Diablo completely took over his vessel's body to complete his transformation. The warriors were able to defeat Mephisto and later Diablo and destroyed their Soulstones on the Hellforge which would seemingly banish their souls to the Black Abyss never to return, but Baal had been freed from his Soulstone and the stone itself was lost before the warriors found his prison.

About a year later Baal revealed himself to have moved on Mount Arreat with his armies that held the Worldstone within to corrupt it with his own Soulstone that fell under his control. Baal was ultimately defeated as well but he succeeded in corrupting the Worldstone and the Archangel Tyrael had no choice but to destroy it. But destroying the Worldstone lead to a devastation Sanctuary had never witnessed before. The resulting destruction broke the surrounding lands and the once great Mount Arreat soon became known as Arreat Crater.

"And here we are twenty years after the destruction of Mount Arreat going back to where Diablo was first released, to the old town of Tristram which is in ruins now."

"Man… I don't even know what to say about all that, but what was the Worldstone?"

The answer to Naruto's question did not come from Li-Ming but Sonya who spoke up to him. "The Worldstone was an artifact of immense size and power that was said whoever could control it would be able to alter reality and create life. It was said that it was even used to create Sanctuary itself. My people, the Children of Bul-Kathos, were given the sacred duty of protecting what lay beneath Mount Arreat. And we had done so for countless centuries fighting back any who would encroach upon our lands with evil intentions. All that was put to an end when Baal invaded and corrupted the sacred Worldstone, forcing the Archangel of Justice to destroy it. With the destruction of Mount Arreat the majority of my people lost their lives and the survivors lost their purpose. Our lands were devastated and our people broken, many of the Barbarians grew mad, unable to cope with the failure to protect the Worldstone and became the savage flesh-eaters known as the Unclean. I was but a babe, encroaching on my fourth winter when Arreat fell. The once united tribes scattered to the cold dead winds of what are now the Dreadlands just wandering the lands aimlessly and struggling to survive."

"I'm sorry for what your people went through Sonya and are _still_ going through, but I stand by my promise. I'll help you however I can with restoring your fallen capital to what it once was. And maybe that will help push your people to reclaim their lives back."

"You have my sincerest thanks. From the stories Nazeebo has shared of you saving his people, and for what you did for the people of Skovos, I know your word can be trusted. So I will follow you to the bitter end my companion, and should I fall, then I hope you will continue to keep your word."

"Don't talk like that. I'll make sure you are there to see your people rise once again." Sonya just nodded her head in thanks, there was nothing further she could say for his generosity.

"Well there you go again Naruto, trying to fulfill another one of Johanna's prophecies." said Li-Ming with a wide grin spread across her face.

"What do you mean?"

"Many scholars have been referring to the scattered Barbarians as the 'Broken People,' and just as the Crusader's prophecy said that the one they search for, being you, 'will restore the glory of the Broken People.'"

"(sigh) Like I said, I just want to help anyone that I can alright. I won't be able to help the Barbarians for some time since it looks like we have the remaining Lords of Hell to deal with, but prophecy or no prophecy I would have done everything the same cuz that's just who I am. I don't need anyone to dictate what my actions will be." Naruto looked out one of the windows in the common room and saw that it was well into the night. "Well that took a little longer than I thought it would. Let's all get some rest, we still have somewhere close to two weeks before we hit land again. We should get all the rest we can because I'm sure we won't have much time to rest when things really start to heat up."

Everyone nodded in agreement to his words, things were going to start to get more dangerous from now on. But they all couldn't help but think about what the future has in store for them. They would have to push themselves further than they have ever done before just to survive, while keeping those who couldn't fight safe at the same time. It seemed like a daunting journey before them, but with their new friends standing alongside them, they knew their chances of succeeding were much greater.

* * *

The days on the ocean moved passed and everyone steadily grew more acquainted with each other and were all using the time to train in their respective fields. Sonya and Johanna spent most of their time sparring with each other as well as with Naruto since they were the only real close range fighters in their group. Johanna learned just as Sonya did that Naruto was a far better physical fighter than herself, especially with his speed. Often times the two women would work together against Naruto and they developed a good sense of teamwork while doing so. None of them could really go all out in their spars since the boat didn't have that much space to spare and they didn't want anyone close by to get caught in the crossfire. It didn't really matter if they damaged the ship since he could easily repair it, which he had to do several times since their spars caused quite a bit of collateral damage. Naruto always kept his speed and strength lowered to be closer to their levels so as not to hurt or overwhelm them too badly and they managed to get in good hits on him but he gave back as good as he got. Sonya and Johanna didn't always win their spars against him but they could definitely feel themselves getting stronger after each training session. They especially saw results in their endurance as each spar was always longer than the last.

Valla was continuing her own training that she was allowed to receive from the Amazons with the Queens' blessings. Her Amazon teachers showed her the way they use their bows when channeling their physical energies to be able to use bursts of rapid fire shots. Valla could already use her magic energies to create projectiles using her crossbows as mediums but this particular technique is what she wanted to learn. Before training with the Amazons she could only fire one shot at a time but a continuous stream of arrows was outside of her mastery. Valla had the theory and practice down so she was steadily progressing but it did deplete her energies fairly quickly so she could only use it in very short bursts, not nearly as long as her Amazon teachers could hold it for. But with her continued training she was steadily growing her reserves of energies as well as lessening the drain it caused, and would eventually be able to use that technique longer than she normally would.

Valla had later approached Naruto to ask him if he could make her some targets since his ability to manipulate wood became known to her, but Naruto didn't quite understand the targets she was implying so he just made her a few dozen clones to shoot at while they ran on the ocean around the ship. She was initially going to correct him on what she wanted but then realized how much better this would be since the clones would be moving targets which would help her greatly, and also help relieve some of her previous frustrations on the blonde without actually hurting him. Naruto had made the clones for Valla without even thinking really because he remembered doing the same for Tenten many decades ago when she wanted to increase the level of difficulty for her target practice through the use of his clones. Valla soon found out that her frustrations would just increase since some of the clones would taunt her when she would miss them. One clone even had the nerve to bend over and start slapping his ass while mocking her. She gave the clone no remorse as she shot him where the sun don't shine dispelling him and leaving her somewhat satisfied. Naruto however did not enjoy that particular memory and knew his clone did that on purpose just to mess with him.

Nazeebo was not idle either. He was older than the others and one of the more experienced warriors on the ship, aside from Naruto, so he didn't need to necessarily learn anything new. However, remembering how poorly he thought he did against those demonic squid made him want to push himself further in his training. He spent a lot more time meditating and sometimes in what he would call a Ghost Trance as he allowed more of the energies of the spirits to imbue him. The results of his training made more of his standard attacks and abilities more potent than they had been before; his Mana reserves became larger, his fires became hotter, his poisons became more deadly, his curses became more potent, and his connection with Mbwiru Eikura became even stronger. Ever since Naruto helped unite his people, the spirits have even become more powerful and motivated to help their brethren. So when Nazeebo calls upon them they too would be far more deadly to their enemies.

Li-Ming was also driven to improve herself since she knew the Lords of Hell wouldn't hold anything back against them, she would have to be in top form to survive the upcoming conflict. One of her most powerful techniques she has struggled to master is what she spent most of her time working on that she simply called Disintegrate. It was a technique similar to her Ray of Frost in that it was a beam of highly condensed energy that is shot in a straight line, but that is where the similarities end. This technique was comprised of purely Arcane energies that was very volatile and would be dangerous to the user until they learned to completely control it.

The problem Li-Ming had with this technique was that she had to literally hold it in her hands while focusing on firing it outwards, but holding it for too long could irreparably damage her hands. Just like with her Ray of Frost her hands could potentially become wrought with frostbite but she uses a layer of magic over her hands to prevent that from happening. The Disintegrate is on another level however and the layer of magic she places over her hands doesn't last very long, so the most she can do at this point just looks like she is firing lasers out of her hands instead of a steady stream like it was meant to be. Since she was the only one who understood the properties of Arcane magics there wasn't anything anyone else could do to help her. The few times she pushed herself to the brink, Naruto had to heal her hands to prevent them from becoming useless.

Now was such a time where she sat within the barrier Naruto erected to heal her hands once more. "I can admire your dedication and persistence, but I think you need to take it easy for a little while. This is like the fourth time this week I've had to heal your hands."

"Fifth actually. But I can't afford to slow down now, everyone else is working to improve themselves so I need to do my part as well. Like you told me before Naruto, things are only going to become more difficult, and this technique will give me the edge I need to ensure our enemies are defeated."

"I understand that, but I've seen the last few attempts you were making and I could see the frustration starting to build up, and each attempt you made was a little sloppier than the last. When you try to master a dangerous technique like yours with a clouded mind, you'll probably end up damaging more than just your hands. I'm not really one to talk since I used to be the most impatient guy there was but I learned that slowing down a bit to clear your head can really make a world of difference."

"Yes, that is something my master used to tell me as well, but everything just came to me so easy when I was younger, so I've never really felt I needed to slow down. I just don't want to end up being useless again like last time, so I need to figure this out quickly."

Naruto finished healing Li-Ming's hands so he stopped using Sixth Paths Sage Mode and dropped the barrier as he responded to her. "Are you talking about the two giant squid? Those things would have caught any warrior flat-footed and even fewer would have been able to fend them off. Humans aren't exactly equipped to fight underwater. You can't afford to be reckless now Li-Ming, just take some time and meditate or something to clear your head. None of us are fighting this alone so there's no need to rush things, just pace yourself. I remember you saying that you were years ahead of your former peers and even some of your previous teachers right? You'll get it, I have complete and utter faith in you Li-Ming. After all, you're the greatest Wizard I know!" Naruto exclaimed as he walked off with a giant smile on his face.

"Idiot, I'm sure I'm the _only_ Wizard you know." Li-Ming said to herself as she sat on the rear deck thinking over what Naruto told her. She knew he was right, she could hear her master telling her the same thing, that she needed to slow down and clear her mind. She has come a long way from the young aspiring Wizard she once was so she needed to do this the right way. So with a renewed sense of determination, Li-Ming decided she would take a moment to focus her thoughts and go over everything she knows about the Arcane before trying to master that technique. It would take a bit longer but it felt like the right thing to do now.

* * *

It was the middle of the afternoon and the six warriors have been getting ready for the past hour as the coast was quickly coming upon them; ending the first part of their journey to Tristram. Naruto supplied more sealing scrolls, and explained their function and how to use them, to his newest friends which they were thankful for; it would lessen their burdens greatly. Everyone was more than ready to depart the oceans and get back on land. They all really wanted to test themselves after training for the past two weeks to see the improvements in their skills firsthand, so they were ready for any fights headed their way.

Once they were all back on land, Naruto sealed away his ship inside a large scroll, that he then sealed into a smaller one, since he didn't want to just leave it floating on the ocean. His friends couldn't quite believe he could seal away such a large item as it was just a little hard to grasp that something so big could just be carried around inside his pocket. Sealing away their personal items was one thing but what was essentially an entire structure was just a little beyond believing if they didn't just see it happen before them. Li-Ming and Nazeebo, the two who have been with Naruto the longest, just wrote it off as another one of those things he can just _do_ , while the rest were just a little more than baffled but decided it was not worth dwelling on.

After sealing the ship, Naruto jogged his way back on the beach to reach his companions so they can continue their journey. "Okay, looks like we're all set. We're still heading north northwest right?"

"That's right. Depending on how fast we travel or what trouble we run into, it will most likely take us a week or two to reach New Tristram." said Valla.

" _New_ Tristram? What happened to the old one?"

"They built another town not too far from the old one sometime after it was destroyed and decided to name it New Tristram. They had very fertile farmlands around Tristram and many people didn't want to abandon those lands so they built a new town. However, many believed the ruins of Old Tristram to be cursed so they tend to stay away from there and the cathedral."

"Have you been there before Valla?"

"Yes. I stayed one night there at the town's inn, perhaps a little more than two months ago, when I was traveling to Kingsport to get to Skovos. Only one of the locals didn't seem intimidated by my presence so she started a conversation with me, and she told me a little about their town the night I was there. I didn't stay long however as I was just passing through and left early in the morning, so I didn't take the time to explore the historical sight of Old Tristram."

"I was there as well when I was a young girl with my master. She took me to see the ruins of Old Tristram. We couldn't stay long either as demons were still lurking about and I wasn't quite ready to defend myself against so many, so we had to abandon that little excursion." said Li-Ming.

"At least we have two people who are a little familiar with either the New or Old Tristram. Well, let's not delay anymore. If the Queen's prophecy was anything to go by, New Tristram will probably be seeing some trouble very soon or they might already be in trouble."

Everyone nodded in agreement as they set off at a light run to try to get to New Tristram at a quicker pace but not exhaust themselves too quickly. Everyone made sure to have their weapons at the ready in case of any trouble they would run into while traveling. Nazeebo also took a moment to summon his Gargantuan as a safety precaution since its overall senses were more heightened than a normal humans. The height advantage it had over everyone would also allow it to see over the terrain as they moved and would be able to alert them of any incoming danger. Of course that didn't mean everyone else's senses weren't focused as well; no one wanted to take the chance of being caught off guard.

The journey on land towards New Tristram was very insightful for Naruto. They again ran into some more goatmen along the way but he also got to see many of the different dangerous beasts that roamed the countryside. There were packs of what looked like miniature werewolves close to the size of Great Danes that they called Scavengers. They were very vicious and quick with sharp teeth and claws and were able to burrow and travel underground but they were really only a nuisance to their group. Another unique animal he saw looked like a mutated porcupine called a Quill Fiend that shot quills out of its back from a distance. The several they saw left their group alone for the most part but some of the more aggressive ones attacked them but they were either killed or scared off when they knew these group of people were more dangerous than others.

Another group of animals that were starting to get on his nerves were Carrion Bats and their nests that were actually immobile living creatures rooted to the ground that spawned the bats, and wouldn't stop until it was killed itself. These bats and nests were scattered all over the countryside and they would run into at least a dozen per day. When he was told that they also carried and spread disease, he used clones to fan out in a wide area to search for more to destroy as many they could find and to burn the nests and dead bats to make sure whatever disease they carried couldn't spread.

Probably the most memorable encounter with the wildlife that Naruto and his group experienced was when they were ambushed by a group of very large insects, close to the size of an average human adult, that sprung up from the ground when they were walking past. However, a few moments prior to the ambush, this group of insects had caught one of the Biju's interest as they all had their senses open to the environment around them. Chomei wanted to make contact with these particular insects since he felt a more familiar connection to these than any others. So he decided to ask his container to prevent any violence on his behalf.

' _Naruto, don't allow your comrades to attack these creatures lying in wait a few yards ahead.'_

' _Huh, why?'_

' _Just do it as a favor to me and allow me to spread out my chakra and use you as a medium for a moment.'_

' _Okay Chomei. I'll leave it to you.'_

' _Thank you.'_

Just before the ambush was sprung everyone felt Naruto's chakra spread out from his body but they could tell that it felt different from his usual chakra. Before anyone could question what he was doing several bursts from the ground stopped them and they were all surrounded by at least a dozen Withermoths that everyone but Naruto was familiar with. As they were getting ready to attack, Naruto quickly turned to them almost yelling and raising his hands in a gesture to stop.

"Hold on! Don't attack them okay!"

Everyone gave him questioning looks and still had their guards up and weapons drawn even though these creatures seemed to be docile for the moment, since the potent energy in the air made them realize they were in the presence of a much greater insect, but Li-Ming was the one to voice their question. "Why, Naruto? Withermoths can be potentially dangerous especially in such a large group like this. I actually don't think I've ever seen this many at one time before."

"Just give me a moment okay. I uh… wanna try something. Just don't attack them unless they attack you first."

They all stood there perplexed on what he could possibly want to try against these insects, but they gave him the benefit of the doubt and just observed for now. Naruto nodded his head to them in thanks and allowed Chomei to take over his body. Naruto seemed to be giving off more of the unique feeling chakra and everyone noticed a sudden change in his eyes. Once blue eyes turned into dark green, almost black eyes with no iris, pupils, or sclera and when they saw the complete change they all noticed that they became compounded just like an insect's. What came next really threw them for a loop as they heard him make clicking noises that sounded completely unnatural coming from a human mouth.

The Withermoths started reacting to the clicking noises as they flew around the clearing excitedly and they as well began to communicate back. Naruto's group started to back away from him as the insects began to fly around him more closely and animatedly as they continued to communicate with each other. Chomei started using his affinity for lightning and sparks of electricity began running over Naruto's body. The Withermoths suddenly stopped, forming a small dome around Naruto as they as well began coursing lightning through their bodies and all the electricity began connecting together, creating a dome of lightning. Naruto's companions stared at the admittedly beautiful display, having no idea what was going on, but since he wasn't crying out in pain they made no move to interfere. After a few more moments, the lightning display ended and the Withermoths scattered into the surrounding area, leaving the group alone. The chakra Naruto was giving off dispersed throughout the air and his eyes turned to their normal blue and he could see all his friends continue to stare at him unsure of what to say. Chomei explained everything that went on to Naruto since he had no idea what they were saying to each other, and he then explained it to his friends.

"Well, I did what I wanted to do so, we can go now. Those giant bug things shouldn't give us trouble anymore. I guess they can communicate over really long distances so that lightning display was kind of like a warning to the rest of their kind about me. They actually have like a hive mind that they can communicate from, and I think they'll even help out from time to time working as scouts. So don't attack those guys anymore okay."

Naruto just turned to keep walking in the same direction they were headed without any further explanation figuring they will catch up soon enough. They all eventually came out of their stupors and moved to catch up and Li-Ming being the most inquisitive of the group was soon bombarding Naruto with all manner of questions. The group would have to endure another one of Li-Ming's interrogations and Naruto's irritatingly vague answers.

* * *

They were traveling for ten days through the wilderness when they reached a dirt road that Valla had recognized being the one she took when she left New Tristram, so it was safe to assume they were on the right path that led straight to their destination. Unfortunately she told them that they were about a half a day away so they still had some distance to travel. They were making good time because they ran into a few groups of wandering demons that they were most familiar with and came to the conclusion that more of the Coven were nearby probably heading for Tristram as well, or they were already there. When they came to that notion they decided to push themselves to keep up a steady sprint most often while taking short breaks to recover. They all felt the sooner they get to New Tristram the better because they could all feel that something was about to happen.

The sun was down and it was evening when they were going to rest for the night, they had a few more hours on the road before they reached Tristram and decided to finish their journey in the morning. Naruto had created another temporary house for everyone to sleep in off the side of the road and most of them were already settled into bed. They weren't able to rest for long as Li-Ming, while reading, saw something outside of her window that caused her to slam open her room door yelling for everyone to get up while banging on their doors as she ran outside.

"Everyone get up, we have to move, now!" A lot of scrambling could be heard from a few of the rooms as they all rushed out with weapons drawn to see what was going on.

"What is it? What happened?" said Johanna. By this time everyone was heading outside where they saw Li-Ming standing looking at something in the sky. When they all got out they saw what she was looking at. Most people would assume it was a flaming comet falling from the sky but considering their circumstances they knew that it couldn't be something as simple as that.

"Look, there's no doubt in my mind whatever that is, is heading for Tristram. Whatever is supposed to happen in Tristram is happening now! We have to move!"

"Li-Ming's right. This just screams trouble. Everyone go on ahead, I'll catch up to you." said Naruto.

"What?! Why are you staying behind?!" demanded Li-Ming.

"We got trouble coming behind us, I can feel it. Whatever that thing was that fell is attracting more demons and probably the more vicious wildlife, they feel really agitated and volatile. I'll cover all of you, I can catch up faster than anyone here. Get going, I'll get whatever supplies you all left in your rooms when I head back, but you should probably put your armors on to protect yourselves more."

They all noticed that they were only wearing their casual clothes since they were about to go to sleep and they all moved quickly to get themselves properly suited for a fight. After a few minutes they all ran back out the door sprinting to Tristram, that is everyone except for Valla and Johanna as they casually walked out prepared, but not heading for Tristram.

"What are you two doing? You should catch up to the others."

"I said I would fight by your side and that is what I intend to do." said Johanna.

"We're not leaving you behind to fight alone, the others had the same idea but we decided that the two of us would stay with you." said Valla.

"Awwwwww Valla, I knew you cared!"

"Don't make me shoot you."

"Hehehe, I'm just messing with you. Alright then, get ready ladies, they'll be here in a moment. We can't let them get to Tristram, that town is most likely already under attack, so we can't let it get in more danger than it is."

"We understand, they will not get passed us." As soon as Johanna finished her statement they could hear the various growls and grunts of both beast and demon alike. It was not but a moment later that the various creatures came into view and once they spotted the three humans on the road they began to converge on them.

Johanna started things off by launching herself up into the air to come crashing down on a group of ghouls and goatmen that caused a small shock wave that threw several demons into the ground while killing the ones closest to her. As soon as she landed she stood her ground as more charged towards her and she began using her flail and slashing the enemies around her. Her attack seemed to ignite the air before her and everything she hit was scarred with scorch marks. She still had expert use of her shield and defended herself well, while also using it as a weapon, bashing her foes away. When it seemed like she was getting overwhelmed she would use her Wrath to generate mystic shields that erupted outwards from her body in a cross pattern that knocked them back or killed off the already injured demons and animals.

Before the various creatures charged at them, Valla quickly laid out four traps around her that she could trigger herself when an enemy came in range. A large pack of scavengers came rushing towards her and she immediately began firing a spread of bolts from her crossbows, quickly putting down the scavengers after a few shots. When more started pouring out from the ground and bushes and got close to her, she triggered her traps that exploded in a short burst of spines that impaled the incoming animals, killing them. She continued to cover Naruto and Johanna as best she could using her range, targeting down quill fiends, carrion bats, and goatmen who were throwing spears, but when some enemies got close to her she used her agility to backflip a short distance and finished them off after she created space between them.

Naruto immediately created shadow clones but they did not stay in their area to help fight, instead they went to cover the other areas around Tristram since he figured that these frenzied demons and animals weren't just coming from one direction following that falling ball of fire. Speaking of fire, Naruto ran through hand signs deciding to use a different technique with Matatabi's help, one she had helped use with her previous container Yugito. When he finished, he spat out three hairballs in the shape of mice covered in blue flame that scattered in different directions going for a group of enemies. When the three mice got close enough to their targets they each split into a dozen more smaller mice that each exploded on a different creature. The animals they attacked were killed but the demons were tougher, although they still took heavy damage as well. He then joined Johanna on the front line, killing various demons and animals with kunai and assisting Valla by throwing a volley of shuriken when needed.

Naruto had spoken to the Biju before about getting them a little more involved with the fighting or just helping him out in any way. He wanted them all to be able to unleash their chakras every once in a while to stave off the boredom. They all agreed emphatically and were glad that he was thinking about them. Gyuki and Shukaku would be sated for a while longer since they already helped Naruto before, so letting the others have a hand in the action now wouldn't bother them. Kurama had said he would like to relax for a while longer since he's had more than enough adventures with Naruto over the years and would just like to watch his siblings get into the thick of things. But he did not want to miss out on any of the really big battles that he knew his container would eventually get into.

While they were still fighting, thundering footsteps could be heard off in the distance getting closer to the three and Naruto's acute hearing heard another distinctive sound coming from it as well.

"Does anyone else hear a bull coming towards us, or is that just me?"

"Sorry, a little busy at the moment, but I can't really hear anything other than these vermin around us."

"A bull?" Valla had a thought occur to her after Naruto's question, as she remembered that very large and dangerous creatures liked to roam around the open valleys of Tristram. Her eyes widened once she realized what Naruto was hearing and yelled out to her companions. "We have to move! That Savage Beast will trample over everything!"

Not a moment later they could hear the loud bull-like roar coming towards them along with crashing trees and other animals and demons crying out as they were killed by a massive beast that was charging straight towards Johanna and Naruto at a speed that should not be possible for such a large creature. There was a lull in the fighting as all the creatures still alive became distracted by the rampaging beast. Johanna, thinking about Naruto's safety took a defensive stance with her shield to take the blow but Naruto knew she would still be thrown like a rag doll by the large beast. He jumped in front of her just as it reached them but not before yelling in his head for some back up.

' _Kokuo!'_

' _I'm on it!'_

Naruto had Kokuo's chakra running through his system using her Boil Release: Unrivaled Strength, as wafts of steam started rolling off his body, and he caught the creature by the horns that curved low below its jaw, stopping it dead in its tracks. Naruto, not wanting to extend the fight with this beast as it was already in his grasp used his enhanced strength with Kokuo's chakra and violently twisted his arms in a counterclockwise rotation, breaking its neck. As if the loud crack of the beast's broken neck was an unknown signal to stop the fighting, the animals that were still alive seemed to have regained their senses and ran away from the three warriors. The few demons still there had no such sense of self preservation and they continued to assault the three but were finished quickly since there were only a few left. The three stood there while Valla and Johanna were taking time to catch their breaths from the skirmish and Naruto spoke to Johanna.

"You shouldn't put yourself in danger like that Johanna. Both of us were quick enough to get out of the way of this thing. If you took that hit it would have thrown you clear across the field over there."

"Sorry, it's just in the middle of battle it is difficult to remember how fast you can be. All I really thought about in that moment is how important you are to the crusade Naruto, and I will do all I can to ensure your survival."

"I appreciate the sentiment, but the last person you need to worry about is me. I've been hit by worse things than this giant bull thing. My past teammate and her master's fists are just two of those things."

"I understand, I suppose with more time fighting alongside you I will become accustomed to such things."

"Yup, just give it time and you'll see how much damage I can take. Well, I think the energies coming off that falling ball of fire caused the animals to go berserk and it finally dissipated in the air causing them to regain their senses, but I can't say the same for the area it crashed in. It's probably worse around wherever it landed. Let's get our stuff from the rooms and catch up to the others."

The two women nodded in agreement and went back into the temporary abode Naruto created to gather the rest of their belongings as well as their other comrades' things that went ahead. After Naruto dispelled his wooden house he took a moment to look at the large creature lying in the road and voiced another question to his friends.

"Hey, this thing is like beef right?"

"No one is really sure from what I've heard. It has some similarities to the bovine family, but its distinct claws and sharp teeth clearly show that it is a carnivore. But it _is_ edible if that is what you are implying, it's just not really on the target list of hunters to kill for food."

"Well, I'm sure everyone's gonna be hungry again after all this fighting. So that's all I need to know! I'm taking it!" Without another word Naruto was shrouded in steam again as he lifted the large beast on his back and began running down the road giving a juvenile-like yell as if to pump himself up, leaving the two women to catch up with him.

"Why did he not just seal the beast away like everything else instead of carrying it?" asked Johanna.

"I do not presume to know what goes on in that man's head, nor do I really wish to know."

"After getting to know him these past few weeks, I suppose that can be quite the disturbing thought."

"Very. (sigh) Let's catch up to him, before we lose sight of him. He's like a child on a sugar high sometimes."

"Hahaha, agreed, on both accounts."

* * *

Li-Ming, Nazeebo, and Sonya were running down the road, each using their own unique energies to increase their speed to get to Tristram as quickly as possible. While running they ran into several enemies both animal and demon. Sonya led their charge as they continued to run without stopping and she hacked away at any beast charging straight towards their group, and when a larger group came at them she used her Whirlwind technique as she rapidly spun around with her two blades deeply cutting into everything in front of her. Li-Ming and Nazeebo covered the flanks with Li-Ming launching spectral blades that electrocuted and stunned their enemies, and Nazeebo summoned groups of yellow toads that poisoned the incoming creatures while also causing them to lose their senses and prevented some from continuing to pursue them.

The closer they got to Tristram they noticed that a new type of enemy was starting to emerge around them; whatever fell from the sky had started to awaken the dead. Many people were killed during the time of King Leoric's madness so there was much of the undead rising from their graves or whatever fields Leoric had them buried in. These zombies weren't particularly difficult to deal with for the three since they were so slow but there didn't seem to be an end in sight so far. They continued to run while killing as many as they could along the way and soon they could see a glimmer of light up ahead just a little further beyond the trees. When they finally got past the grove of trees they were in, they came along a short cliff overlooking a town and saw a sign saying 'Welcome to New Tristram.'

They could see the civilians were frantically running around trying to reinforce their town walls and the militia were outside defending the gates of their town but with the few militia they had they would be overrun soon. So the three warriors wasted no more time and quickly ran down the sloping pathway to the main gates to give them aid against more zombies. The three companions made quick work of them before anymore of the militia could get hurt and they just stood in awe of the fighting prowess of the three who took over and made it look easy in comparison to themselves.

"I don't know who you three are but thank the gods you arrived when you did! So many of our militia has already fallen. I doubt we would have survived the night without your aid."

"You're welcome. Quickly gather everyone back into the town walls. We'll continue to help defend your town while you rest a bit." said Li-Ming.

"Thank you. My men could really use the rest, I'll just have them perched up in the wood towers to keep a look out. I am Captain Rumford by the way, may I know your names as well."

"My name is Sonya."

"I am Nazeebo."

"And I am Li-Ming. Can you tell us what happened here?"

"Those zombies just came out of nowhere a couple hours ago when that Falling Star came crashing into the Cathedral. We sent out a scouting party to where it landed but I was the only one who survived. Leah and her uncle were the only ones in that accursed place, don't know why they would ever want to stay there, but Leah was the only one we found. She's back at the Slaughtered Calf Inn if you wish to speak to her, I can go fetch her if you like? I would appreciate it if you could continue to defend the main gates."

"Of course, that is fine. We are more than capable, but we are still waiting for our three other companions to join us. They stayed back because it looked like the wildlife and other demons were in a craze and they covered us so we could get here to help as quickly as we could."

"I hope they are as strong as you three, otherwise I fear the worse."

"No need to worry about them. They are just as capable as we are. They should be along in a little while."

"That is good news to hear. We will need all the capable warriors we can get. I'll be back shortly."

The three stayed outside the gates to defend against any further attacks and to give the town's militia a bit of respite from the fighting as they waited for Naruto, Valla and Johanna as well as the survivor the captain was retrieving. A few minutes later the captain came back with a young woman in tow who had short brown hair with her bangs framing the right side of her face and wearing a red shirt with a brown vest and pants with no armor, indicating she was not a seasoned warrior, but she did carry a bow with a quiver of arrows showing she could still fight if needed. Li-Ming approached them when they opened the gate, being the designated speaker for the group while Nazeebo and Sonya continued to keep a look out.

"Hello, Captain Rumford told me you three warriors came and saved us. I just want to say thank… you. Oh, wow."

"Hmm? What is it?"

"Oh! Sorry, it's just that I never imagined that three warriors of such different cultures would show up together like this. A Wizard, a Witch Doctor, and a Barbarian; you three just come from such diverse backgrounds, it's nearly unheard of to find a group like yours come together."

"Hahaha! Well, you're in for a real treat because we have others coming on the way."

"Really? That's amazing! It just reminds me of the stories my uncle used to tell me when groups of warriors just as unique as the next would come together when Sanctuary needed it most. (gasp) Uncle Deckard! He's still out there! Please, you have to help me save him!"

"Leah, I'm sorry but, from what you described I doubt he could survive a fall like that. Deckard is..." Captain Rumford was cut off from his morose words by Leah.

"No! I know he's still alive! If no one will help me, then I'll go back on my own if I have to!"

"Don't worry Leah. We'll help you save your uncle but we should wait for the rest of our group to show up to let them know what's going on. It shouldn't be much longer now."

"Captain Rumford! A Savage Beast is charging down the hill!"

"Well don't just stand there! Shoot it down!"

The militia began raining arrows down on the beast, piercing its large back, including Leah who took her bow out as well to help. The three veteran warriors were about to jump in as well but as it came closer they could all hear a distinctive yell that sounded very familiar.

"Don't aim for the back! It's all just muscle and will only anger it! Aim for the head!" Yelled out Leah as she was lining up her shot to take it down. She wasn't the best archer but with a beast that big she couldn't really miss, right?

"Wait! Hold on! Hold your fire!" Li-Ming shouted to the archers to stop but it was too late when Leah's arrow caused the creature to come tumbling down.

"Gahhhh!" Leah's arrow was indeed the one to take the charging beast down but she didn't quite hit the target she was aiming for. The beast fell on its limp legs and slid down the rest of the slope just stopping before the warriors outside the gates. Trailing right behind the downed beast was Valla and Johanna as they caught up to their fallen comrade and figured out what happened when they saw all the arrows stuck in the back of the large creature. They could only shake their heads in exasperation; they should've known something like this would happen. The ones in the unknown were cheering for taking down the massive animal but they all stopped when they heard a muffled voice that they could not detect whom it came from.

"What the shit Valla! I haven't even annoyed you today!"

"That isn't true, you annoy me every day."

"Hmph! Whatever!"

"Besides, I didn't shoot you you idiot. That arrow came from the front. How do you expect me to hit you from that direction when I was trailing behind you?"

"I dunno. A secret magic arrow that changes direction?"

"Idiot… Although, that might be something worth looking into. Thanks for the idea."

"Anytime!"

"(sigh) Naruto. Just what are you doing this time?"

"Li-Ming! Is that you?! Are Nazeebo and Sonya with you?!"

""We're right here my friend/comrade!""

"Oh good! The gang's all here! Well I brought food if anyone's hungry!"

"What the hell is going on?! Who are you all talking too?! That beast isn't talking is it?!"

"Leah, I would like you to meet our friends that we were waiting for. The woman with the crossbows is Valla, and the other with flail and shield is Johanna."

""Hello.""

"Hello, I thought Captain Rumford said you had three other companions, and you still haven't told us what's going on. Where did that other voice come from?"

"That would be the numbskull who thought it would be a good idea to carry this Savage Beast while running down the road to your village entrance yelling at the top of his lungs like an idiot. Thank you for taking him down by the way. You just made my day with that shot."

"I am _so_ glad that my pain amuses you Valla."

"How thoughtful of you." Valla said with a smile that everyone but Naruto could see, clearly having fun at his expense.

"Do you need help Naruto? I thought you would have unearthed yourself by now, but if you need assistance, you have my arms."

"No, no. I'm alright. Thanks for the thought Sonya. I just… wanted to hide my shame for a little while."

"Well please do hurry up Naruto. This young woman's uncle is in danger and she would like our help to find him."

"O-kay!" They all watched as the front of the beast began to shift, causing the militia men to get nervous thinking it was still alive. It was then lifted up partially as a man began to crawl out from underneath it and finally standing up in front of them revealing himself. Those who didn't know him were just staring at him in bewilderment, still not quite understanding what just happened.

"Wha- You- you were really carrying that thing?!" said Leah.

"Sure was! I thought we'd all be hungry again from fighting so much, so I figured, why let it go to waste?" Naruto then proceeded to step on one of the horns of the beast to lift his leg up for a better angle as he ripped out the broken arrow from his left thigh where it hit him. "Ow."

"Oh my god, I am so sorry! I think that was my arrow that hit you! Let me help you bandage it up."

"It's alright. I heal fast so no need to worry about me, and Valla was right. Not my brightest idea to come running towards a group of people with a giant beast on my back. And I couldn't really see that well with its shaggy fur impairing my vision, so no need to take the blame. I'm Naruto by the way, Naruto Uzumaki."

"I'm Leah."

"Well Leah, your uncle's in danger right? We'll definitely help you find him, but is there anyone who needs to be healed right away? I am a healer so I would like to take care of anyone who needs immediate attention first."

"Well, Brother Malachi has done everything he could to help those who need it, but many have been showing symptoms of illness after being attacked by the undead. I don't know if there's much more you can do for them."

"I would still like to try. Can you please take me to them?"

"Of course."

Leah led Naruto back to the inn where several people were laid out on the floor with both injuries and symptoms of illness. They seemed to be in great pain and a few other villagers were tending to them. Naruto quickly threw his barrier kunai into the walls of the inn's common room and entered Sixth Paths Sage Mode. Those who didn't need medical attention immediately felt overwhelmed by his presence and collapsed to their knees. They weren't warriors, just regular civilians so they couldn't really handle this form he took as it became difficult to just breathe. Naruto saw what he was doing to them and several chakra arms moved quickly to heal those who need it.

"Shit, I'm really sorry everybody! I'll be as fast as I can." It took Naruto a little longer than usual since the symptoms he was healing felt like they were more like a curse since he could feel an evil presence within them. He also noticed that Leah was taking his presence far better than the others as she stood her ground but it was still hard for her to move, but that wasn't the only thing he felt from her. There was something within her that caught his interest that he felt he should look into later when he had the time. After another minute the people's symptoms began to clear and he felt that he destroyed whatever was infecting them. He immediately dropped his form and retrieved his kunai to give everyone affected by his presence a chance to recover.

"What the heck was that?! I've never felt anything like it before." Leah then looked down to those he healed and saw that they were coming to, looking perfectly healthy compared to earlier. "Amazing, you completely healed them. Brother Malachi is our best healer but he couldn't do something like this."

"Sorry about that. I've never really used that form around conscious civilians before so I didn't know it would affect everyone so greatly. I guess the people I heal in that form are usually unconscious or are in so much pain or discomfort that they can ignore the feeling I give off. Seasoned fighters handle it better than others but that's because they are more resilient than regular citizens. I'll know better next time."

"No, it's okay. Everyone looks fine now. Thank you so much, I was afraid they wouldn't last another day. Oh! There are others who need help as well! They are in the town cellar, please hurry! I'll take you to them!"

Leah led Naruto back outside the inn to get to the others who need his help but they were stopped when an older man's cart was broken down and blocking the street. "Mayor Holus, you're blocking the path! Please, we have to get through!"

"What?! How da..."

"No time old man! We got people in need over there!" Naruto cut off the mayor before he could start raging and suddenly picked up Leah in a bridal carry and jumped over his cart. "Quick, just point me in the direction we need to go!"

Leah yelped when she was literally swept off her feet and carried in such an unfamiliar manner. She wanted to yell at him to put her down but she was so shocked and unsure of what to do that she just pointed in the direction he needed to go. She didn't have time to be any further embarrassed as she was put on her feet since they arrived at the entrance to the cellar and they were already walking down. Still a little embarrassed, she noticed that Naruto wasn't making an issue over carrying her like that so she wouldn't either. She regained her composure and led him down to the large underground room with even more people laying sick than were at the inn and she saw one man tending to his wife in the back. This man was a bit older, probably in his late thirties or early forties with brown hair and a beard and mustache with a bit of a gut on him, wearing regular working clothes.

"Haedrig! I brought someone who has come to help, and there are others with him to defend the town! I'm sure he can help Mira and the others. He healed everyone in the inn, so we can trust him."

Haedrig looked up to see Leah and another man walking behind her, not sure what to think. He's always wary of newcomers to the village until he can measure what kind of person they are. "You should know better than to trust strangers so easily Leah."

"Haedrig!"

"It's alright. He's just trying to look out for everybody. Being wary of visitors isn't a bad policy, it's just when you start getting paranoid is when it becomes a problem."

"I'm sorry lad, I don't mean to be a pain, but this town, both new and old, has just been through so much bad history. I just don't like getting my hopes up."

"I understand. Let me show you with action rather than words that I can help you, and you can decide for yourself if you can trust me."

"Brace yourself Haedrig. This form he takes is a little unnerving but it won't hurt us. It's incredible though! Really something I've never seen before."

Naruto repeated the same process to help heal these people setting up his barrier and entering Sixth Paths Sage Mode. Haedrig was encumbered by the feeling as well but he fought through it to stay by his wife's side. Many more chakra arms sprouted from Naruto's back as they all attached to one of the many sick people as they started to heal them. After several minutes everyone started to look better and once he was finished he released the gathered natural energy and took back his kunai.

Haedrig's wife, Mira, as well as the others started to awaken after a few moments. He held her hand as her pale complexion she once had was gone, the bags under her eyes were clear and her breathing became normal. She was a pretty woman most likely just a few years younger than her husband with brown hair hidden in her tan cowl wearing a matching colored dress. Haedrig couldn't help the tears coming from his eyes as he saw his wife slowly open hers to look up at him.

"Haedrig? What is going on? Oh no! Were you killed as well my love? How did I not foresee this?"

"What? Mira no. We aren't dead. We are very much alive my dearest, the _both_ of us. Why would you say that?"

"How can this be?"

"What is it Mira? What aren't you telling me?"

"I… I had foreseen my demise in a vision. I had turned into one of those wretched undead and… and you were the one to end it."

"What?! Why didn't you tell me?!"

"You _know_ why Haedrig. We both learned from the Vecin that our visions can't be changed. If we try to interfere, only a worse outcome will be the result. I feared if I told you, you would try to save me and you would be the one to take my place. I did not want that for you my love."

"(sigh) Did you think I would want that for _you_ Mira?"

"You are strong Haedrig, stronger than I. I know you could survive without me, but I do not believe I could do the same."

"It doesn't matter now." Haedrig helped his wife sit up as Naruto and Leah have been helping the others get their bearings. "You see that man over there. He helped save you and the others. You should have seen it! He healed everyone almost like it was nothing! I am so glad you are okay Mira, I never want to lose you." The married couple proceeded to embrace each other with tears in their eyes, trying to hold on to that feeling for as long as they could.

After everyone was taken outside and gave their utmost and heartfelt thanks to Naruto, they returned to their homes to get some rest after Naruto assured them they would keep the town safe. Haedrig and Mira approached Naruto and Leah.

"I don't know what to say. You gave my Mira back to me. If there's any weapons or armor that you need made or repaired, you have my hammer and forge. Anything you need. Thank you so much. You have certainly earned my trust."

"You're welcome. So you're a blacksmith huh. I don't really wear armor so I won't need that, maybe some weapons to restock later on, but my other friends have their own armor and weapons that could probably use some mending. I'm sure they'll appreciate it. My name is Naruto Uzumaki by the way."

"Haedrig Eamon, and this is my wife, Mira."

"Hello Naruto, thank you for helping our town."

"Hello Mira, it's no problem. You two should just take it easy for now and get some rest. I'm sure my friends can wait to get their armor repaired for a little while longer. I would love to stay and chat but Leah still needs help saving her uncle. We should get moving."

"Right! Have a good night Haedrig, Mira. Don't worry, the town is in safe hands for now. All Naruto's friends are strong warriors, they will keep us safe." Leah then proceeded to follow Naruto to the town square to meet with his companions when they came up to the still downed cart in their path.

"This thing's still in the way huh?" Naruto simply lifted it by the handles and moved it out of the way to clear the street.

"What ar..."

"Sorry old man! No time to waste, still got others who need our help!"

"Sorry mayor! But my uncle still needs help!"

"In all my years, I have nev…"

The mayor's voice faded away to the background as Naruto and Leah came to the others waiting in front of the inn. "How goes it? Anymore attacks while I was gone?"

"No my friend. There is a lull to the undead's restlessness. The town is safe for now." said Nazeebo.

"That's good. Leah still needs our help to save her uncle. I can leave clones behind to guard the town if everybody wants to go. I know it's really late and we just had a long run from our camp, so if anyone's really tired you shouldn't push yourselves. I'll leave it up to all of you to decide."

"I think we're all more or less fine, but what do you think Naruto, will this require all of us?" said Li-Ming.

"I'm not sure, but let me try something." Naruto then proceeded to call upon some unconventional allies by releasing some of Chomei's chakra into the air. After a few minutes a Withermoth came flying over the gates startling the guards. No one tried to attack it since it landed right in front of Naruto who then allowed Chomei to take over again to speak to it and ask it for help. After some weird clicking noises were exchanged from the two, Naruto again took back control of himself and spoke to the others.

"That Withermoth told me that there's well over a thousand if not maybe a few thousand enemies on the surface of the surrounding areas. I don't know, I think we just might need everyone on this. It also told me that most of the demons are moving away from New Tristram and going towards the Cathedral and a giant manor to the west."

"That's Leoric's Manor. It's definitely cursed from all the lost innocents that he had killed over the years. So I'm not surprised demons would be attracted to it." said Leah.

"Okay, that's good to know. Since the more dangerous of our enemies are moving away, the town should be relatively safe for now, but I'll leave my clones here just in case. There's another problem though, it looks like a group of Withermoths spotted people going into Leoric's Manor and the cathedral. All wearing yellow robes."

"What does that mean?" asked Leah.

"Coven." said Valla.

"That's right, whatever they're doing here can't be good. We'll have to deal with them too eventually. So does everyone want to go, or would some like to stay?"

Everybody looked to each other and came to a silent agreement that Johanna voiced out loud. "We are with you Naruto."

"Okay then. I hope your uncle is resilient Leah, or can at least hide well."

"Uncle Deckard is okay, I know he is. He may be up in years, but he is still as wily as I remember. It wouldn't be the first time he was surrounded by enemies."

"That's good to hear. Well, let's go save us an uncle!"

* * *

AN cont.: Yes I added a lightning affinity for Chomei, so in case anyone wants to tell me that I'm wrong and Chomei can't use lightning, then I am telling you right now that: Yes, yes I know, but it works for my story. I might do more stuff like this later on if anyone wants to get on my case about it, just some prior knowledge to think on.


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Okay, some more action in this chapter and I would like to make note that I made some changes when compared to the game. Those of you who play it are aware that the champions and rare monsters glow either blue or yellow and are stronger than the others, but if you remember when Percepeus cast his spell on the demons in Skovos I had them glow a dark purple which is what I'll be doing for any regular monsters that I want more powerful in certain scenarios. I changed it because I didn't think them glowing in bright colors really works for their dark nature; bright glowing is Naruto's thing. So from now on the dark purple glow will represent the rare and more powerful monsters, aside from bosses who are powerful in their own right and don't need to glow.

I will admit that this chapter is a little slow, I thought I could move it along faster than this but that just didn't happen (sorry). Otherwise I would have ended up with another really long chapter, so I'll leave it like this. And I may have gotten a little dumb in this one too, but I gave myself a chuckle, so I'll leave it as well.

* * *

Chapter 8

The group of seven made their way out the front gates of Tristram and headed north to the cathedral where Leah's uncle fell into it's depths. They set out at a light jog and were going along the pathway that led to Old Tristram. Naruto, Sonya and Johanna, being the three up close and physical fighters, took the lead of their group, while Li-Ming, Nazeebo and Valla covered them from behind and Leah stayed close to the middle since she was the most vulnerable.

They came upon a group of houses that were abandoned due to the rising dead and most of the people had made it back inside the walls of Tristram where Naruto had healed them. But not all the inhabitants escaped as there were some bodies that looked to be partially eaten along the road, which Naruto made clones to collect their bodies for proper burials. Some inhabitants who didn't make it were _still_ being eaten when they found more of the undead wandering around the houses. With Naruto's senses on high alert, his ears picked up a sound that no one should ever want to hear, let alone someone who had prior experience with being a parent.

"Shit! Just stay here real quick!" Naruto disappeared in a burst of speed leaving the others behind and confused. They could only see that it looked like he jumped into the attic of one of the first homes as the upper window was broken into. They heard a brief scuffle inside the upper floor of the house until all went silent. A few moments later Naruto jumped out of the attic and ran towards them with both of his arms full. They were two children crying into his shoulders and holding on to him tightly; one was a girl about eight years old and the other a boy only about four.

"Oh my God! Are they alright?!" Said Leah as she voiced everyone's concern for the two innocent children in Naruto's arms. Naruto just nodded his head to them and moved behind his friends and they retreated further back down the road in order to shield the children from seeing any more of the monsters behind them and to not attract any more from coming to them. He crouched down and tried to put them onto the ground to speak to them, but they had their eyes tightly shut and were clinging onto him with all their strength, so he struggled a bit and gently coaxed them to let go.

"Shhh, I'm not going to let anything else hurt you two okay." They listened to his soft voice as he sat on his knees and continued to reassure them until they finally let go and stood on their own. They were still crying and shivering in fear but he continued to hold onto them in a soft embrace to ensure them that he was still there. After a few moments they opened their tearful eyes to finally look at him face to face. Naruto never liked giving bad news, especially as Hokage it was his responsibility to inform families when loved ones were lost on missions, and giving that news to children was one of the most difficult things he had to do. Before he could say anything the little girl spoke up to him.

"M-m-momma a-and p-papa were… they were." She couldn't continue any further as she broke down into more tears and crying harder which caused her brother to follow suit as well. It seems the girl understood what happened and knew her parents were gone, and the boy was still so distraught he couldn't even form words to say.

"I'm so sorry. Your parents… they can't be with you anymore." This just caused them to cry harder as he held them close in a firmer embrace to let them cry. It may be cruel to tell them that but it would be crueler to give them false hope. "But that doesn't mean they aren't looking after you from the afterlife, it is one of the greatest duties a parent will ever have. I want you to know that those two things in there weren't your parents; something evil corrupted them and forced them to be that way. Never forget that your mom and dad love you, they will always love you, because you two were the greatest gifts that they were ever given."

The children seemed to have calmed a little after his words as they were sniffling into his chest and the warmth and calming nature of his chakra soothed them further. Not long afterwards they fell asleep in his arms and he made a shadow clone to take them back to the village and keep them company in case they wake up and distraught again. The clone disappeared in a flash and everyone had somber looks as the children were taken. They were all glad that they were safe and unharmed now but realized how difficult it must be for them. Valla was keeping a look out for any intruders but she kept her ears open and heard everything. It hit home pretty hard for her since she went through something similar but there was no one to rescue her, as she survived on her own until the Demon Hunters came into her life. She was glad that they would have a better chance to still have a better childhood than she had.

"Are you alright Naruto?" asked Leah. She as well as the others noticed how well he handled the children, almost as if he had previous experience with them. They also saw how distraught he looked himself. Then his companions remembered that he could sense negative emotions and thought that might explain his pained expression, but they just don't know that orphans will always have that kind of effect on him.

"Yeah, I just… kinda have a soft spot for orphans, since I was one myself. I guess I was a bit luckier than they were since I never knew my parents, and their last memory of theirs will probably haunt them forever."

"What do you mean? What happened in that house?"

"… I'm pretty sure it was their parents that attacked them."

"What?!"

"The attic was boarded up from the inside and there was no forced entry. I think the parents wanted to wait out in their home but they must have been wounded by the undead earlier and they eventually turned into undead themselves. If they had known that would happen I'm sure they would have tried to lock themselves out instead of inside with their children. I was lucky I heard their screams since they were about to kill their daughter as she tried to protect her brother. I don't think they saw me end them, but seeing their parents transform into zombies will scar them enough."

"Oh my god, those poor children."

"I know, I'll make sure they're taken care of in the end. We should kill all the undead in this area and along the way since it's so close to town. The more dangers we get rid of, the safer the town's people will be."

"I agree. The spirits tell me that there should be no more undead rising in this area, so it is best if we lay these poor souls back to rest." said Nazeebo.

"Good. Leah, stay close to one of us at all times so we'll be better able to protect you."

"I can protect myself you know!"

"I'm not saying you can't, but you're not exactly a trained fighter are you?"

"Well, not exactly."

"I didn't mean to sound condescending or anything, and a part of me wanted to ask you to stay behind, but I could already tell you wouldn't agree with me."

"That's right, I wouldn't have."

"The six of us are trained to deal with these types of things so I just want you to be safe okay. I'm not trying to demean you in any way."

"Okay. I'm sorry if I sounded ungrateful. I really appreciate what you all are doing here."

"It's no problem. We're glad to help. Why don't we split off into pairs and clear these homes and meet further up ahead along the road."

They all agreed to the suggestion and paired off to deal with more of the zombies. Naruto and Nazeebo went down the middle of the houses, while Valla and Sonya took the right side and Li-Ming and Johanna took the left with Leah tagging along with them. There seemed to be a lot more enemies about then they initially thought since there were still more scavengers and quill fiends in an agitated state with them being so close to the landing site of the fallen star. So the clearing of the homes would take some time before they would finish.

"I'm sorry about back there. I guess seeing those kids like that kinda got me angry, and I get a little defensive when I'm angry."

"Oh don't worry about it. You'll come to know that Naruto is really just a bleeding heart. You saw how he was with those children, he just wants everyone to be safe. He really goes out of his way to try and accommodate everyone as best he could. Not really something you would expect from a stranger." Said Li-Ming while she was using her magic missiles and arcane orbs from a distance and Johanna was slashing away at the zombies and throwing her shield around to knock back the enemies in front of them. Leah was using her bow to take down scavengers and quill fiends since she couldn't do that much damage to the undead.

"That isn't a bad thing is it?"

"No, but there is just something about him that just seems… I don't know."

"What do you mean?"

"He's hiding something. I've been traveling with him the longest and there are just some things that I don't understand when it concerns him."

"Well he's a Druid isn't he? I mean he doesn't really dress like one, or act like one, but I don't know who else could interact with the wildlife like him. But seeing his eyes change when he spoke to that withermoth was a little freaky though."

"Hahaha, that's what I and the Queens of Skovos thought he was at one point too! But he is insistent that he is a sage because he says that is the art he trained in."

"A sage? But aren't sages…"

Li-Ming had a grin on her face since this wasn't the first time someone brought up this topic of sages. "Yes, yes they're all old men and women containing the knowledge of the world. Trust me, this isn't the first time Naruto's sage-hood has come into question. We all know who the sages are but he is quite different from the sages we know, because he definitely does not contain knowledge others would seek. He is quite ignorant in fact, in nearly all things it seems. Except when it comes to fighting and the wisdom of life I suppose."

"Really? That _is_ strange… Wait, you all met the Queens of Skovos?!"

"Hahaha, yes we did. A little excursion we had before we traveled to Tristram. We'll tell you all about it when we get some time to spare. A lot of interesting things happen around that man, it's never boring to say the least."

"But do you trust him though? You say he's hiding something, so could he be dangerous?"

"Oh, he is definitely dangerous, more so than I think any of us realize, but nothing _we_ need to worry about. His main priority it seems is to save lives, so I don't think he really has any nefarious agenda. How about you Johanna, what do you think of our resident sage?"

Johanna was still whittling down the undead in front of her as they moved forward but she could still hear the conversation between the two, as they as well continued to fight off their enemies. "I may be a little biased because he is the one from the Crusaders' prophecy, but we have nothing to fear from Naruto. He may be a little… peculiar in personality sometimes, but the inner light within him is unquestionable. I might even say he is a little soft, because I don't think I could have been as gentle as he was with those children. And I agree that he has his secrets, but don't we all? I am not one to pry; so as long as he stays true to his path, then I will not stray from his side."

"A prophecy? My uncle and I would love to hear all about it."

"When time permits I would gladly share this with you. But it seems we are running late, I can see the others up ahead finishing off the last of our enemies in this area. Let us move on ahead."

The three women quickly finished off the zombies and animals around them and moved to join Naruto and the others. Everyone looked fine to Naruto, these enemies right now weren't exactly difficult to deal with, so they moved on from the group of homes to continue along the pathway. From their conversation, Leah couldn't help but pay closer attention to the man who seems to be leading this group. No one verbally said that he was their leader, but just the way they interact with and follow him tells her that he is the one to bring all these different warriors together. This group looks more and more like what her uncle described to her about bands of warriors coming together to defeat the Lords of Hell. Maybe his stories weren't so crazy after all.

Defeating more of the undead and restless animals along the way they finally came to the entrance of Old Tristram. Just like Li-Ming had said before; the town was in ruins. The buildings were crumbling, their wood rotting over time; the air surrounding the ruined town was heavy and stale, like a pall of hopelessness saturated its very grounds. They found the bodies of several of the militia that went in search for Leah and her uncle; there was nothing more Naruto could do for them but collect their bodies for their families with his clones. The town was surprisingly empty of undead or other creatures, something everyone expected to run into again here.

Naruto made the motion for everybody to slow down. His negative emotion sensing wouldn't help him in this area, and as a seasoned shinobi he knows it's best to be on high alert when things get too quiet. They moved towards the center of the old town when they could feel the rumbling beneath their feet. From beneath the ground burst two roaring monstrosities in front of them. They both were green giants that looked to be pieced together from many body parts with several spikes extending from their backs and giant arms that had no hands to grab with but more large spikes that could be used as piercing bludgeons. All across their bodies were many demonic looking skulls snarling in anger with the main heads having large hanging jaws with grotesque tongues drooling in hunger. Naruto also noticed that they were glowing with a dark purple energy around them just like he remembered when Percepeus cast that spell to make the demons with him stronger in Philios, but these energies felt far more potent this time.

"Oh my, these Unburied look a lot bigger than what my uncle described them to be."

"They'll be a lot stronger too. That energy surrounding them is making them more powerful. I've seen it before."

The two unburied moved to engage the group swinging their large spiked arms at them with great force. They all evaded the strikes and Naruto moved in to test the waters so to speak and lunged into the air at one for a strong punch to its open gut. When he got close, the monster suddenly glowed a bright green and emitted a burst of acid from its body that caught him off guard as he took the brunt of it, unable to evade mid air.

"Gah! Fuck!" To add insult to injury as he was distracted by the pain, it violently knocked him away into a broken down building as one of the spikes also pierced his side.

"Naruto!" Leah yelled as she ran to where he landed to see if she could help him, since she knew she wouldn't be able to help fight these stronger monsters. Everyone was worried about their comrade but couldn't afford to be distracted, and with this new information they would know to watch out for their acid bursts as they knew to evade when that green glow would appear.

In an unspoken agreement Sonya and Johanna engaged one of the unburied each to fight up close while the others attacked from a distance. Sonya went into a battle rage as she used her swords against the monster landing critical blows and cutting deep. She would also use seismic slams to stagger and stun it with lightning to temporarily immobilize it. When she saw that it was about to unleash its acid spray she would leap away to avoid the attack. Johanna initially used a shield glare that temporarily blinded her opponent as she then began to attack with her flail, punishing it with hard blows and redirecting its incoming strikes with her shield. She also evaded its acid spray by using her falling sword attack to launch herself into the air while falling back on top of it with a heavy blow.

Nazeebo and Li-Ming each focused on one monster while Valla used both her crossbows to fire at both. Nazeebo was conjuring jars of flaming spiders that he threw at the unburied Sonya was fighting and they would cause fire damage while also distracting it as it would try to shake them off, and this would also give Sonya more openings against it. He also would cast a Haunt against the unburied as a summoned spirit would attack it and cause physical damage over a short period. Li-Ming, aiding Johanna, launched spectral ice blades that would slow down the unburied, also giving Johanna more openings. She also unleashed torrents of several arcane projectiles that burned it heavily. Valla divided her attention to both creatures but before she began raining arrows on the unburied, she cast a spell that she called Marked for Death that would lower their defenses and make them take increased damage from everyone. She then fired hungering arrows at both that would then burst in a spray of bone that exploded from both monsters causing severe damage.

While they were all fighting, Leah was trying to uncover Naruto as he was buried in a pile of rubble from beneath one of the buildings. Naruto was still in pain as he was recovering but he took quite a bit of damage as the acid nearly covered his entire chest burning through his coat and shirt and into his skin and part of his face. The hole in his side was gaping and bleeding out as it was slowly healing. Naruto may be powerful but he is not immune to damage, especially without any sage mode enhancing him, and being unused to fighting monsters like this and not knowing about their potential abilities puts him at a disadvantage. He could have planned better in his attack but his style of fighting usually revolved around learning about his opponent mid-battle and coming up with plans on the fly. Naruto was the epitome of a tank that took attacks and would then learn from them and strategize around it. It seemed to work this time as well since his friends learned from his short encounter knowing when to evade the incoming acid damage.

' _You really can't help yourself sometimes, can you?'_

' _Haha, well, you know me. Shit this really hurts.'_

' _Yeah, I do. You shouldn't let what happened to those children distract you, they're safe now, so you know better than that. And you should take your own advice and not be so reckless all the time.'_

' _You know how I hate seeing kids hurt, either physically or emotionally. And I can afford to be reckless! After all, I got my very own medic inside my gut right!'_

' _Feh, stupid brat.'_

' _Love you too furball.'_ The other Biju were concerned but they have seen all the memories of his major battles and knew the kind of damage that he has endured before, so they knew he wasn't in any serious danger.

"Naruto! Naruto where are you?! Please speak to me!"

"(cough) I'm alright. Just need a minute… or three."

Leah moved to where she heard Naruto's voice and began removing the rubble covering him, and she found him laying on his right side and holding the left side of his abdomen where a still sizable hole was bleeding out from. The skin on his chest and face was nearly fully healed but shone in an angry red that would eventually fade.

"Oh my god! You are not alright!" Leah helped Naruto sit up as she also used her hands to apply pressure to his bleeding wound, getting her hands dirty with his blood.

"I will be. You might not believe me but I've had a lot worse than this done to me before, but getting stabbed with a giant spike hurts like hell. Acid might be a first for me, but kinda just feels like burns, but also hurts like hell."

Naruto then removed their hands from the wound and showed her that it was just a small hole now just over an inch wide and getting smaller with the bleeding slowing to a trickle. Leah saw his healing abilities firsthand but seeing his body basically mend itself put her in a state of awe since she could see that he was not using his healing powers like he did before on the villagers.

"See, just about all better now. Awww, my coat and shirt are just rags now. (sigh) Stupid monster."

Naruto tore off his tattered shirt and coat and wiped off the blood from his skin and stood up and twisted his torso right to left for a few moments to work out the soreness from the closing wound. Leah couldn't help the blush on her face as she stared at his lean and muscular physique, from his arms, chest, and abdomen; truly understanding that he was more than just a healer. She has been traveling with her uncle most of her life studying ancient texts and learning about the heavens and hells, so she hasn't had many encounters with men her age, let alone seen one shirtless and with a body to be proud of; it was a first for her. Oblivious to the young woman's staring, Naruto finished his stretching and moved towards the fighting and spoke to Leah breaking her out of her musings.

"Here take this." Naruto took out a bottle of water that he had on him and handed it to Leah. "For your hands. Sorry about all the blood."

"Thank you. Don't worry about it. I just wanted to help."

"I appreciate it. Let's go check on the others."

"Right."

They made their way out of the broken down building to join the others and found them just finishing up as the two monsters finally fell over dead, leaving Sonya and Johanna with minor bruising and the others were uninjured.

"Is everyone alright?"

"Speak for yourself, Naruto. You took a nasty hit. Not to mention that acid spray burned through your clothing. Don't you have another shirt on you?" said Valla as she and the others have seen Naruto shirtless before, especially when he does his physical training. So all the women there have seen and admired his well built physique before, but even though they don't mind the view, it isn't any less distracting. And they could all see that it would probably be more distracting for Leah as she was still a little red in the face.

"Well I didn't want to jump back in only to ruin another one. That acid is no joke, we better watch out for stuff like that in the future." Naruto then proceeded to unseal another shirt from one of his scrolls from a seal on his arm, which was a dark blue long sleeve shirt with his clan crest on the shoulders and foregoing any coat or jacket for now.

"We will. But are you really alright Naruto? I could tell how strong that acid was and I know it did more than just burn through your shirt." said Li-Ming.

"Yes, I'm fine. I can still go on. Let's not waste any more time and get moving again."

They all agreed and continued to move to the other end of the town and beyond the gates that led to the cathedral. They fought a few more undead along the way when they came up to a run down hut along the side of the pathway. Naruto noticed that Leah had a look of nervousness the closer they came to it and decided to ask her about it.

"Something wrong Leah? You look uneasy."

"This hut. My uncle told me it was my mother's, Adria. He said she died some time ago in the wilderness of the Dreadlands. I never knew my mother, and I heard that she was a witch. Witches aren't really highly regarded and my uncle never tells me much about her. So I'm not sure if I really want to find out, but I can't deny that I'm really curious."

"I know what it's like not knowing about your parents. Being an orphan I had no idea who they even were for the longest time. If you want, I can come back with you after we rescue your uncle. Just in case anything else is still lurking out here when we come back."

"I… I think I would like that. Thank you."

"No problem. We're getting close, I can see the cathedral up ahead towering above the trees. Let's go get your uncle back."

"Right!"

They all made it to the cathedral and entered through the front doors. When they came to the large hole the fallen star made, they could all see a blue light covering the opening and down along the walls of the broken earth into the depths of the cathedral.

"Can everyone make the jump down there? It looks like a pretty good ways down." The five warriors all confirmed that they could handle such a fall and proceeded to jump down into the lower level of the cathedral, but Leah looked a little concerned, since it was quite a ways down. "Why don't you hop on my back Leah, I can get us both down there no problem."

"Are you sure? I don't want you to hurt yourself."

"Positive. I'd rather you didn't hurt yourself either, and I heal quick remember."

"Okay. Thank you. Sorry for troubling you like this."

"Don't worry about it. It's no trouble at all."

Naruto then turned around in a crouch so Leah could climb on his back, and once she was situated he then jumped into the hole and landed on a stone pathway next to another gaping hole made by the fallen star that continued to go further beneath the cathedral. The others saw them land with nary a sound and Leah on Naruto's back and Li-Ming had a big grin and couldn't help herself once she saw this.

"Hahaha, welcome to the club Leah."

"Huh? What club?" said Leah as she climbed off Naruto's back.

"Why the Naruto-back-riding club of course! Valla and I are the only two other members right now, so welcome."

"(sigh) I don't know why I told you about that."

"You can't take it back now Valla!~ And I still can't believe he took out an entire mountain! It's just… inconceivable!"

"That mountain wasn't really that big in the first place. And why do you have to make it sound like I'm some sort of horse or something? Naruto Uzumaki is no one's mule!"

' _No offense Kokuo.'_

' _None taken, Naruto-san.'_

"Only when we need you to be.~"

"Yeah yeah, whatever."

"What?! You destroyed a mountain!" exclaimed Leah.

"Well I think it was more of a big giant rock than a mountain."

"I am afraid that's what mountains essentially are Naruto." said Johanna.

"Well… fine then! We can talk about this later, let's look for her uncle." Naruto then proceeded to move forward into the cathedral while everyone followed.

"Speaking of your uncle. I have been meaning to ask this but, your uncle wouldn't happen to be Deckard Cain would he? I heard the captain say his first name before and couldn't help but wonder if it was really him." asked Li-Ming.

"That's right. Have you heard of him?"

"Heard of him! I don't think there is anyone who _hasn't_ heard of Deckard Cain before!"

"I haven't!"

"Yes Naruto, we are all aware of your feeble mind."

"Hey! It's not feeble, it's just ignorant! There's a difference!"

"Okay okay, I'm sorry. You're a big ignoramus, happy now?"

"… No!"

"Hahaha! You two are so funny, but I suppose my uncle _has_ published many works over the years, but many people tend to overlook the author so his name isn't _always_ recognized everywhere we go, except for the really avid fans of his. I'm sure he'll be glad to meet another fan of his works, but beware when you get him going on certain topics. He'll definitely talk your ear off if you let him."

"Hahaha, I'll be sure to remember that."

"He sounds like a very passionate man when it comes to his work. I can't wait to meet him." said Naruto.

"He is. Maybe he's a little too passionate. I don't like to speak poorly of my uncle but… his current research has really become an obsession of his. I just don't know what to think about all the things he's been studying lately."

"Like what?"

"Well, he says that the Horadric texts are signaling that the End Times are beginning. He thinks the Lords of Hell will make a resurgence, but with all this going on now… Maybe he really _is_ on to something. It's just really scary to think about."

"Eeee, you are _definitely_ not going to like what Queen Celestia told us before we left Skovos then."

"What, what did she tell you?"

"It's probably best if we wait until we find your uncle. That way we don't have to repeat it. And it sounds like he could probably help us out too with all his expert knowledge."

"…Alright."

The labyrinth beneath the cathedral truly lived up to its namesake, it was like a massive mausoleum with many levels and hidden pathways that may never be fully uncovered. It had many large archways and gargoyle statues made of stone, similar to the Skovos Isles but different in design being closer to Gothic architecture, with steel braziers and torches still aflame with ancient magics. It was mostly empty with its many areas having been plundered decades prior. Many rooms contained dilapidated bookshelves with tables and chairs and many of the walls had old murals and tapestries depicting ancient Horadric symbols or writings. Other areas had pulpits and pews that were used to conduct sermons when the cathedral was first created and in proper use. There were even random racks holding old and worn weapons that were used by the ancient Horadrim when they were still active and fighting Hell's evils.

The subterranean levels of the cathedral may have been bereft of objects of monetary value but the group of warriors were hardly alone. Many of the undead continued to roam its halls impeding their search for Deckard Cain. The still ever annoying carrion bats made a home in the dark halls of the cathedral, and they ran into more of the unburied but they were easier to deal with than the two larger ones on the surface. Other creatures made these halls their lair as well; ancient bodies were not immune to the awakening powers of the fallen star either, as skeletal warriors and archers roamed the areas as if they were still doing their duty to stand guard against intruders. New creatures Leah called Grotesques gave them some trouble as they were large fat undead monsters that were not only strong but could produce spikes from its body if they got too close, and when they were killed they would explode while unleashing corpse worms from their bodies. Corpse worms were eel like creatures between three and four feet long with razor sharp teeth that carried disease and would be difficult to remove if bitten.

Since the labyrinth was so large they decided to split into two groups with Naruto, Nazeebo, Sonya, and Leah in one group, leaving Li-Ming, Valla, Johanna, and a shadow clone of Naruto in the other group. Naruto left a shadow clone with them to not only help fight with them but to create and dispel another shadow clone to inform him if they found Leah's uncle or if they find the entrance to the next level of the cathedral, and he would do the same if his group found either first. Since the start of their little journey to save her uncle, Leah saw just how capable each of these warriors really were. They were all so strong she could hardly believe it; watching as they easily tore through hordes of undead and other monsters along the way. She continued to pay close attention to Naruto and couldn't help but notice why he didn't fight with the conventional armor and weapons that she is so used to seeing. Since seeing how fast he was, she understood that he didn't really need armor since it would only slow him down and with his healing rate, he wouldn't be down for long if he _was_ seriously injured.

After nearly two hours of fighting and searching the first level of the cathedral, Li-Ming's group found the entrance to the next level below. The shadow clone made another shadow clone and dispelled it to inform the original of their location but their group couldn't wait for them as they heard scared yelling down below the staircase and immediately moved to help. When they arrived on an upper platform they could hear the cruel echoing laughter of a powerful monster and saw the large ethereal visage of who they assumed was the Skeleton King, clad in his royal armor as he sunk below further into the depths of the cathedral. Before the Skeleton King left, he summoned more skeletal minions to assault the old man near another blue glowing hole where the fallen star broke through. The group of four did not hesitate and both Johanna and Naruto's shadow clone jumped off the staircase to land in front of the man to fend off the closest enemies to him while Li-Ming and Valla stayed at the top of the staircase to fight from a distance.

In the middle of all these weaker skeletons was a much larger one that had that same dark purple glow around him just like the unburied in the ruins of Old Tristram, and Li-Ming's and Valla's attacks were doing little to slow him down as he continued to summon more skeletal minions. They needed to kill that one in order to stop their onslaught but the skeletons started to climb the staircase getting closer to them so they had to divert their attention away from the more powerful enemy. They didn't get much leeway until the rest of their group showed up with the original Naruto and Sonya jumping down into the fray of skeletons and Nazeebo and Leah also helping from a distance.

"Uncle!"

Naruto's clone stayed close to Leah's uncle since it was confirmed when she yelled out to him, and the original fought his way closer to the skeletal summoner. The large skeleton's back was turned from him as he was summoning more minions and Naruto ran along the top of the skulls of the crowding skeletons and formed a large rasengan in his hand trying to finally end this fight as he lunged forward giving a powerful yell. He plunged his attack into the skeleton's back and proceeded to grind it's bones into dust and shot it forward crashing into a bookshelf while giving its final death rattle. As the summoner was defeated the rest of its minions then began falling apart as the dark magics keeping them together faded away.

"Uncle Deckard, are you okay?!" After all the skeletons went down, Leah immediately ran to her uncle to see if he was okay. He didn't appear to be injured, maybe a little sore from the fall he took during the crash but overall he was fine.

"Leah my dear. I am so glad you are okay, and you brought plenty of help with you it seems. I thank you all for rescuing this old man." Deckard said in a kind and aged voice. He is a balding man with white hair on the sides of his head with a long white beard and mustache, wearing blue robes with a brown shawl covering his shoulders, and uses a cane to help support himself while he walks.

"No problem sir. Just doing what we do best. Leah was really worried about you and we couldn't just refuse her request to help her find you. We're all just glad you're in one piece."

"I thank you all again, and please, just call me Cain. It is the name everyone usually refers to me by. These recent events are most troubling. We should discuss this further, I believe my research may indicate what is to come. Let us go back to Tristram. There is a secret entrance here behind the bookcase that leads to the gardens above."

"Uncle! Please just rest for now. We can wait to discuss this in the morning. All these warriors have been fighting hard all night. We can all use some rest right now, especially you. Please."

"(sigh) Okay Leah, I suppose you are right."

"Thank you, uncle."

Cain gave Leah a grandfatherly smile and nodded to her as he opened the bookcase and led them all above to the surface through a small chapel and into the decaying gardens next to the cathedral. As they were nearing a steel sigil embedded into the ground Leah remembered she wanted to search through her mother's hut to try and learn more about her.

"Oh, that's right! Uncle Deckard, I've finally decided to search Adria's hut to see what I can find there, I want to know more about my mother. So I'll be back in the village shortly."

"Are you sure Leah? There could still be dangers lurking about out there."

"Don't worry Cain, I'll escort her there and back to town to make sure she's safe. I won't let anything happen to her."

"Thank you young man. I don't know what I would do if Leah were to ever get hurt out there. Oh! How rude of me, I introduced myself but I didn't wait to get all of your names, please forgive this old man's wandering mind."

Everyone gave light chuckles at this, not offended in the least and proceeded to introduce themselves to Cain. He could easily deduce what kind of warrior each of them were but when it came to Naruto he really had no clue where he could come from. It gave his mind some suspicion about the man but he could clearly see that he held no ill intent towards anyone here, and the way the others interact with him including his own niece tells him he can be trusted. Cain then moved to stand on the waypoint, which was an ancient Horadric rune, and flashed away in a ray of light just as the others continued to do so one at a time until only Leah and Naruto remained.

"Okay, what the hell was that?"

"Hmm? What was what?"

"They all just flashed away. Where did they go?"

"You've never heard of the waypoints made by the Horadrim."

"Waypoints…? Oh! I think Li-Ming had mentioned something like that to me a long time ago. So these steel symbols in the ground are like transport beacons then? I saw one of these back in the town square, I just thought it was a fancy sewer cover or something. Is that where everyone went, back to town?"

"A sewer cover! Hahaha! Don't let uncle Deckard hear you say something like that. But yes, they are used to transport oneself to areas with another waypoint, but you have to have been to that waypoint first before you can transport yourself there. And yes the others went back to town to that waypoint. They must have marked their energy into the town's waypoint while we were busy helping the sick."

"Well they didn't tell me about it! Bunch of jerk faces! But anyway, this is interesting, so anyone can use it then? How does it work exactly?"

"Alright, come over here and stand on this one right now."

"Are you sure? I don't want to be transported somewhere I can't find my way back."

"Positive, like I said, it won't take you anywhere that you haven't been to before. So if this is your first one, there is nowhere for you to go." Naruto nodded to her words and stood on top of the waypoint waiting for further instruction. "Okay, now flow some of your energy into the sigil until it reads your signature so to speak." Naruto did as told and a brief beam of light surrounded him as it faded away a moment later. "See, that's all there really is to it. You have to charge your energy into the waypoints you discover and you can transport yourself to any other waypoint you found before by just thinking about the one you want. But it doesn't work over extremely long distances. For example you can't transport yourself from here to, let's say Caldeum or something, it's only within several kilometer radius that it works. So when we get back to the village you just have to do the same thing so you can use it to get back to town."

"Will do, but that _is_ neat. I have a more efficient way of transportation but I am the only one who can use it though, so these waypoints are really useful. I'm impressed."

"You have a teleport spell you can use as well? And it's more efficient than the waypoints? Oh, was it what your clone did when he took the children?"

"Yup! It's not really a spell but I'll show you when we finish going through your mother's hut."

"Okay, I'd love to experience it firsthand."

Naruto and Leah walked back down the pathway towards Adria's hut and after a few minutes they stood before its rotting entrance. Leah hesitated for a moment before she took a deep breath and opened the door and stepped in. There wasn't much inside, just some old furniture and decaying books. There were some barely legible papers that looked to have potion recipes, and one seemed to require a black mushroom but they couldn't tell what the potion was for. After a few more minutes of rummaging through the hut for anything useful, a pile of debris suddenly collapsed in on itself to reveal a hidden cellar beneath the dwelling. Naruto moved closer to take a look down to see if there was anything dangerous and couldn't see anything but could tell the cellar extended further into the earth than he could see.

"There's definitely more down there since I can't see everything, also the ladder doesn't look to be in any safe condition to climb down. Why don't you get on my back again and I'll get us down there, the fall doesn't look very far but it is dark down there."

"Okay. Thank you for this. What should we do for light?"

"I can fix that. Let's just get down there first."

"Okay."

Leah climbed on Naruto's back again and he jumped down into the darkness. When he landed he placed Leah back on her feet and used his mokuton to create a torch that he lit with a simple fire technique. The torch gave off a surprisingly bright amount of light due to being enhanced by his chakra and lit up their surrounding area.

"Where did you get a torch from?"

"Just one of the things I can do. I'm sure you'll see plenty of it later. Let's see if you can find anything useful here about your mother."

"Right."

The cellar did indeed extend further as there was an opening to another area. They walked down a short pathway and into a large cave that had an old rusty cauldron in the middle with old bookshelves and tables lining up against the rock walls and stalagmites and stalactites growing from the floor and ceiling. Naruto didn't really like this place, the negative emotions present in this cave were still lingering. Whoever this Adria was, Naruto was sure he wouldn't have liked her, but he didn't want to tell Leah this since it was her mother. If she found out anything on her own it was fine but he didn't think she would appreciate the negative opinions of a stranger, so he kept quiet.

Leah looked through the bookcases and tables and found a few things she wanted to take back to look over at her own pace. She found an old dusty traveling pack that she put everything she wanted to take in. Naruto was looking at some magic writings that he couldn't make heads or tails of. It would probably be the same for other people who saw his seals; they just wouldn't have any idea what it meant. When she was finished she let Naruto know as he then walked over to her to take them back and he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Remember when I said I would show you my own method of transportation?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, get ready cuz…" Without even realizing it, they were already back in town at the entrance of the inn. "we're here!" Leah looked around and sure enough they were in town, surprising her greatly.

"Whoa! How did you do that?! I didn't even really feel anything, but it's a bit disorienting, completely changing sceneries like that without any warning. At least with the waypoints you're prepared and know where you'll end up. But that is really amazing!"

"Thanks! It's a really powerful technique where I come from but I don't really use it how it was meant to be used. I just use it for easy travel really."

"I would love to hear more about it, but I'm really getting tired so we should probably get… some… sleep. Where the heck did that come from? That wasn't here before."

"Hmm?" Naruto turned to look where Leah was indicating as he saw what looked to be a cellar entrance in the ground near an empty area of the town square. Naruto dispelled one of his clones still standing guard to get the memories to confirm his own answer to Leah's question. "Oh, that's an underground bunker one of my clones made. It seems the people who lived out in the surrounding areas beyond the walls didn't really have anywhere to go since they didn't want to go back to their homes tonight and the inn isn't nearly big enough for so many. Everyone including those children and my friends are taking shelter down there for the time being, and I guess is where I'll be bunking tonight too."

"Wha- How could anybody possibly make an underground bunker in a few hours?! That's just not possible!"

"Just a few minutes really, not that hard for me or my clones."

"What?!"

"Hahaha! We'll talk about it in the morning Leah, just get some rest okay. I'm not going anywhere, I'll still be here when you wake up."

"Alright then. There is definitely a lot that I need to hear tomorrow apparently. Good night Naruto."

"Haha, seems that way. Good night Leah." Naruto made his way to the bunker while Leah still had a room in the inn to rest in. She wasn't sure if she would even get any rest tonight. There was far too much to think about.

* * *

The morning came all too soon for the group. Since they were basically in a high alert situation they couldn't afford to sleep in anymore. They were all up early just as the sun broke the horizon to get prepared for more deadly encounters they were sure to run into. As they exited the bunker they were welcomed to the bizarre sight, yet enticing aroma of giant chunks of cooking meat. A few hours ago some of the clones made good on Naruto's previous offer for food as they made a giant spit in the town square with skinned and deboned chunks of meat from that giant beast slowly roasting on a fairly large and contained fire pit. The group had an early breakfast but knew they couldn't gorge themselves on the meat since the townspeople would most likely be running low on their food stores in a few days if things weren't taken care of soon. So, much of the meat was also for the benefit of the people as well, and Naruto knew he would most likely have to continue to hunt for more food to keep everyone fed.

A few more of the townspeople woke not too long after, who were mostly the early risers who had jobs to do in the mornings such as farming and woke up out of habit, even though with all the danger still lurking about not much work could really be done. Haedrig and his wife Mira were two of these early birds. They lived in a large wagon that was also situated in the town square; it was made mostly of steel indicating his profession as his forge, weapons and armor were out on display in front. When they saw the sight of the roasting meat Naruto invited them to eat as well as they all sat outside enjoying a meal. It also turned out that Mira was the woman who Valla had mentioned previously about meeting during her short stay in New Tristram not that long ago. Once Mira saw her she was surprised to see her again but glad that Valla was one of the people who were there to defend the town and help save Cain.

Valla and the others noticed that Mira did not look to have slept very well which concerned them but she and Haedrig explained the vision she had about her own death. It turns out that Mira comes from a line of mystics and she learned about her powers from a group of people known as the Vecin some years ago. One of the warnings that they gave her is that if she tries to change the outcome or prevent her vision from happening it would lead to terrible consequences. So after she fully realized that her fate was changed, she stayed up most of the night in fear believing a worse fate to befall her and her husband soon after. Naruto reaffirmed to them his disbelief in fate and tried to convince her not to worry; he told them he completely rid her and the townspeople of any ailments and the town was still on lockdown with his clones to protect them. The utter confidence and conviction in his voice seemed to quell her fears a bit, and Haedrig was thankful to him for it.

Leah and Cain woke a little later since they had a very tiring night and with their minds distracted by so many things, it was difficult to get rest for the two. They were both very similar in that regard, but whereas Cain's mind was full of the Horadric texts and signs of the End Times, Leah's was more curious about what she would find out about her mother as well as this group of warriors and the stories they had to tell. She wanted to know what the Queen of the Oracles had told them, and the prophecy Johanna's leaders had told her people, but she especially wanted to know more about the mysterious man that led this powerful group of warriors.

When Leah and her uncle were finished with breakfast, the group moved inside the small house Cain had for himself to discuss things further. Before they left, Haedrig had mentioned to them that he could work on anyone's weapons or armor if they needed it. Since they knew he couldn't work on everybody's equipment at once they decided to let whoever had the most damaged pieces to be worked on. So right now he was working on Sonya's swords, which took the most beatings out of everything, and was fixing some mild damage while also sharpening them like new again.

When they were all situated inside the house, Cain began telling them about the research he's been looking into. He stated that the fallen star was a sign that was foreseen by the Horadrim indicating that the End has begun, but nothing indicated what it actually was. Whatever the fallen star was, it had to be retrieved at all cost before it fell into the hands of demons. So however far into the cathedral it fell, they would have to delve further into its depths to retrieve it. But before they could get to the fallen star, Cain said they would have to go through the Skeleton King first to get there.

"In order to defeat the Skeleton King, his old crown must be restored and placed back on his skull to force his spirit to inhabit his body once again. Only then can the Skeleton King be truly defeated once and for all."

"I suppose that's simple enough. Do you know where his crown is?"

"Unfortunately I do not, but Haedrig should. His grandfather was Leoric's chancellor and was said to have the crown buried with him to keep the Skeleton King from ever returning. Haedrig should know where he was buried."

"Okay. We'll talk to him about it, and put an end to this soon." Before Naruto and his friends could leave, Leah spoke up to stop them.

"Wait! I know we all want this to be over as soon as possible, but do you think you could tell us about what Queen Celestia told you, and also about the prophecy the Crusaders were given? You made more clones to continue standing guard, so the town should still be safe for now right? I just think the more information my uncle and I are given, the better we'll be able to help you in the long run."

"Oh? Prophecy you say, and I take it the Queen of the Oracles herself told you of a vision she had? Yes, yes. Please tell us all about these events, and don't spare the details. This information could also be vital for defeating the Lords of Hell. The Horadrim cannot be the only people to have gotten signs of the End. And Leah, I am so proud, are you finally starting to believe the research I have done is not in vain?"

"I don't know yet uncle, but thank you. When I heard them mention the Oracle Queen, I couldn't help but realize how serious this could be. I know you've told me the Oracles of Skovos are powerful seers and I've studied their history myself so I'm inclined to believe them. Not to mention the Queen herself should be one of the most powerful seers in Sanctuary. I just want to get as much information that I can."

"I understand Leah. Please young warriors, tell us everything you know."

Naruto and his group told the two about Queen Celestia's visions as well as the prophecy given to the Crusaders. The Queen's vision just seemed to reinforce Cain's belief that the last Lords of Hell will once again bring war into Sanctuary but left him a bit confused. And hearing the Crusaders' prophecy also gave him much to think about regarding the young man before him. After hearing Johanna's information on the prophecy, Nazeebo explained his own peoples' encounter with the blonde and what he did for them to help reinforce the Crusaders' prophecy. Li-Ming also mentioned the words of Nazeebo's fellow Umbaru, Zunimassa, of how she also believed Naruto would bring about a great change and how he is aided by legendary leviathans, also explaining the squid incident on the ocean just off the coast of Philios. Then Naruto explained everything the Skovos Isles went through concerning the pirates and the Coven that tried to invade them, and how he gained the trust of the Queens for his service to their people. Their story culminated with their travels to Tristram on his ship that they mentioned he also made himself. Needless to say, Cain and Leah were both in awe of the stories they were told and just how important the man in front of them is becoming everyday.

"Incredible. You can cure deadly diseases and even curses like the villagers here, you can summon leviathans, the power to create almost anything from wood, and yesterday they said you destroyed a mountain! Just what are you?" said Leah.

"I'm… complicated."

"This is most troubling news, if the Queen's visions and the Crusaders' prophecy are correct then that means you are destined to fight the Lords of Hell, but you said he would fight the one true evil. I am afraid I do not know what this means, there has always been seven Greater Evils but if there is one evil among them that I would see as the most dangerous, it would be Diablo the Lord of Terror himself. And if that is true then he may have a way to be brought back from the abyss."

"But you said his soulstone was destroyed uncle."

"Yes, but if there's a way then I'm sure he can find it. I can only hope we are prepared should that ever happen."

"We will be Cain."

"I am a bit confused however, you say the Queen of the Oracles could not see you within her visions but the Crusaders were given a prophecy that seems to lead directly to you. It is not so strange that one seer cannot see what another may see, but to affect the entirety of the Oracles is intriguing." said Cain.

"Yes that is true, and this morning Mira told us how he basically changed her fate by saving her life last night." said Li-Ming.

"Mira said that? Is that why she still looked tired?" asked Leah.

"Yes, she was concerned that a more horrible fate would happen to her or those around her. Mystics aren't usually very powerful seers like the Oracles since their visions only really concern themselves or those close to them by either random occurrences or special rituals they have to perform, while Oracles can get visions from most anywhere on Sanctuary also at random or from simple meditations. However, Mystics also differ from Oracles in that their visions are for the most part set in stone, while Oracles see the highest probability but are not always one-hundred percent. So in a way, Mystics can be more dangerous than Oracles, which is why they are usually more persecuted than most other seers. So Mira might be on edge for a while, at least until she gets another vision maybe."

"Amazing, simply amazing young man. You are indeed someone that our world is sorely in need of with the many great acts you have performed. I will help you in any way that my old bones can, if there is any information that you need, all you need do, is to ask."

"Thank you Cain. I don't think I've really done anything special, I just do what I think is right. And I'm not one to be led by fate, I'll make my own."

"Bold words young man, but you think too little of yourself. To change the fate of a Mystic is no small feat, especially without repercussions. I will pray for Mira and Haedrig's continued safety."

"I'm sure they'll appreciate that. I'll let them know when we talk to Haedrig about the crown. I think that's everything we could tell you. We'll retrieve that fallen star for sure. Don't worry about us if we don't make it back tonight. You only need to really worry if my clones get dispelled all at once. If that happens then something definitely went wrong, but I have faith in our group."

"Thank you, and good luck out there."

* * *

The group made their way outside to speak to Haedrig about Leoric's crown, but Naruto noticed the two children from the night before somberly eating a late breakfast and just blankly staring into the fire. Naruto asked the others to speak to Haedrig since he wanted to speak with the children to check up on them himself. When he kneeled into view in front of them and they saw who it was they immediately latched onto him as renewed tears began to flow and their soft cries could be heard. He just held them and let them cry for a few moments, it was completely understandable. When their crying stopped with only tears remaining, he wiped their eyes and noses with his sleeves not caring if they got dirty, that wasn't a concern right now. When he was finished they looked up to him not sure what to say but he started things off.

"Good morning you two. Did you get enough to eat? Are you still hungry?" The two just shook their heads, telling him they weren't hungry anymore. "My name is Naruto, okay. Can you tell me your names?"

"I'm Elizabeth."

"Elizabeth, that's a pretty name. How about you big guy?"

"I'm Jacob."

"Jacob sounds like a strong name."

"(sniff) I-I want my momma." Naruto pulled the boy into another embrace as he started to cry again as he spoke to him.

"I know. I know you want your mother, but she can't be here anymore." Jacob cried harder and Elizabeth began tearing up again as he pulled her in to hold her as well. "I know you two are hurting and scared right now, and you don't know what to do. But I promise that you'll be taken care of."

"Are you gonna take us with you?" asked Elizabeth.

"I wish I could, but I'm on an important mission that will have me traveling a lot and put me in constant danger. So it would be too dangerous to bring you two with me. But if I can't find someone in this town to take care of you, I'll still make sure you are taken care of somehow. I promise that I will not abandon you two even if I'm left with no choice but to take you. Please try to be strong for each other and your parents, they would want you to be happy. You two make sure to stay within the town walls, and the room you stayed in last night in the bunker is yours to use okay. My friends and I have to go to try and put an end to all of this but my clones will make sure to keep everyone safe. If you need anything just go up to one of them and tell them what you need, okay. I'm not sure how long this will take but I _will_ be back. Remember what I told you, your parents love you and they are watching over you."

Naruto released the children but they were still emotionally exhausted and decided to go back into the bunker to their room. Many of the townspeople saw the display and were touched by his kindness but also guilty that they couldn't do the same. One woman came from her own small group to speak to him, but she too had a forlorn look on her face.

"Thank you for what you have done for those children and thank you for… for… (sob)" The woman broke down a bit, unable to continue for a moment and Naruto sat her down on one of the logs the children were sitting on. The two other women she was with came to her side to try and comfort her but he could tell they were in pain as well.

"She was trying to say… (sniff) thank you for bringing our husbands' bodies back for proper burial. They were part of the militia that didn't come back." She as well could no longer continue as her voice began to crack towards the end, but the first woman to come to Naruto regained some of her composure and continued.

"I wish we could do something for those children, but we just can't afford to take them in. Our… (deep breath) our husbands were our main income so we as well will be struggling ourselves. We just don't know what to do."

"I'm truly sorry about your husbands, and I'm glad you care what happens to those children. Hmm. Maybe we can work something out. I would like to talk to you three later about a proposition that could maybe help all of you. I have to go now, my friends are waiting for me, but I'll speak to you when I get back okay. Can you do me a favor and just look out for those two for me. They could use a woman's comfort right now and maybe you can all help each other."

"Of course, we'll look after them as best we can. It is the least we can do for you. Without the aid of you and your comrades, this town would have surely been overrun and we all would be dead."

"Thank you, I appreciate this, and I'm sure Elizabeth and Jacob will too."

* * *

Naruto then moved to where his friends were waiting for him, which was by the pathway where Leah led him to the town cellar the previous night.

"What was that about Naruto?" asked Valla.

"Those women lost their husbands last night and were just thanking me for bringing their bodies back. They're in a bind themselves without their husbands but I might be able to help them and they can maybe help with the children as well."

"Don't you think you're doing too much? It is a tragedy what happened to them, but you can't help every single victim in the world. It's just not possible."

"I know that! But if I can, I will help those who are in front of me!" Everyone was a little surprised by his short outburst, but they knew this was something he really felt strongly about, it was just in his nature to help people. "(sigh) I'm sorry. I know what you're trying to say and I know that I can't fix everything. But those children are the future, and I will give them every chance possible to survive. I know I'm letting my emotions get the best of me and I have a giant soft spot for orphans, but I won't abandon them."

"(sigh) You don't need to apologize, _I_ am sorry. I should probably be used to the way you are by now. It is noble of you, trying to help those women and children. I just know it will be difficult to try and juggle so many things at once. But if it is you… then I will believe in you."

"Thank you for understanding Valla."

"I agree Naruto, it is a beautiful thing to help those in need, especially those so young. Your compassion knows no equal. It only assures me of what type of man you are. I look forward to the time when the Barbarians experience your compassion firsthand."

"I look forward to that day too Sonya. So you guys know where we need to go?"

"In a manner of speaking." said Johanna.

"What do you mean?"

"Haedrig said his grandfather was buried in a crypt in the cemetery past a grove they call the Weeping Hollow. But it seems that he has forgotten what crypt it was exactly. There should only be four separate crypts but if we're unlucky, we may have to search them all."

"Well that sucks, but I guess there's nothing we can really do about that."

"Haha, with our luck we'll probably have to search them all. Let's just get going, the sooner we head out the sooner we can finish." said Li-Ming.

No one argued with her as they all moved to the gates on the other side of town. They crossed over a river on a roofed bridge and into the large grove, but they could see that it was also full of the undead and more of the same vicious animals. They would have to go through them in order to get to the cemetery. It was already mid-afternoon when they started on their current mission and Naruto was getting a little impatient. He could tell there were enemies scattered throughout the grove in directions they didn't really need to head in, but in order to keep the town as safe as possible he knew it would be best to clear out the area. He didn't want them to lose more time so he created shadow clones to go in the opposite direction they were headed to rid the area completely of anything dangerous to the people.

They fought their way through the grove northeast in the direction of the cemetery, and they all stayed together as a group to cover each other better in such an open area. They fought more of the same creatures along the way, with many more zombies wandering the grove. After much fighting, they made it towards the end of the grove to the entrance of the cemetery. The four crypts were located in the four corners of the cemetery and Naruto noticed another waypoint towards the center that they could all use when they finished.

"Alright, so what do you guys think we should do? Should we split up, or we all go together. Cuz I know these crypts are probably not as empty as they should be."

"Indeed my friend. Many uneasy spirits linger within these grounds, I can feel their restlessness. But I believe two groups would be sufficient for this."

"Okay, sounds good Nazeebo. So who wants to group up?"

"Well, since you are the better physical fighter of us three, I think Sonya and I should stay together on this one, if that is alright with you Sonya?"

"Of course, I have no qualms about this. It is a sound plan."

"I will accompany them in this as well. I believe my supporting voodoo and curses should help them greatly in the coming battles."

"Awwww, you're leaving me with the mean ones!" The others had a good laugh at that but Li-Ming and Valla did not take kindly to his remark and both slapped him in the back of his head, well Li-Ming slapped, and Valla gave him a good punch to the skull. "That kinda just proves my point you know."

""Shut up.""

"Hahahaha! I'm just kidding ladies. Let's go TEAM… uh, what's a good team name for us?"

"(sigh) Shut up Naruto. Let's just get started."

"You're no fun Valla."

They all proceeded to go into a separate crypt; Nazeebo, Sonya and Johanna went into the western one while Naruto, Li-Ming and Valla went into the northern crypt. The crypts were very old and were falling into disrepair as the stone pathways and walls were crumbling in many areas. But these crypts were extensive and anyone could tell that a lot of time and effort went into building them for the nobles that requested them. Still, they were full of zombies and skeletons that continued to bar their path but were relatively easy for them to dispatch.

* * *

Nazeebo's group actually worked very well together as they searched their crypt. With the two up and close fighters of Sonya and Johanna, Nazeebo would use a short curse on their enemies that he called Mass Confusion that caused them to begin fighting each other, which gave Sonya and Johanna an easier time to finish them off. Near the end of their first crypt they came upon a large room with scattered bones everywhere and a single glowing jar on a raised platform with short steps leading up to it. The room was suspiciously empty as they approached it.

"This obviously must be some kind of trap. What do you suppose we do?" said Sonya.

"Yes, I agree, but I can feel there are lost spirits within, that yearn for freedom. I believe we should endure this trial to finally put them at rest." said Nazeebo.

"Very well, we don't know what may come, but let us spread out and prepare." Said Johanna as she and Sonya moved out a short distance from the jar to give each other more space, and Nazeebo summoned his Gargantuan for extra help and it too moved from the jar in preparation. "When you are ready, release their spirits Nazeebo."

When he opened the jar a mass amount of spirits began to flood the room and the bones all around them began to connect together forming more skeletal fighters and archers that began to move on them. They all engaged their opponents, beginning to put them to their final rest but the souls just continued to pour out, inhabiting their old bodies. They were starting to get surrounded but they endured and kept fighting them off.

Nazeebo kept casting his curses as often as he could and summoned explosive toads to spread out among them to attack the skeletons. Sonya was cleaving the skeletons in a broad sweep that emitted an electrical charge that would stun them, and when she would get surrounded she summoned an avalanche of ice blocks in an area several yards wide that would crush and temporarily immobilize the skeletons that survived. Johanna started by using a ranged technique of hers as she launched holy chains that would shackle them to the ground shortly while also do damage itself and she would also summon a celestial war horse that she rode on that would trample and chain close by enemies and drag them around for a short period. The jar of souls finally stopped pouring out more souls after several minutes and the last of their enemies were finally put down.

"May their spirits finally find peace. It seems as if this is as far as we can go. This must not be the correct path." said Nazeebo.

"Seems that way. Well there's nothing more we can do here. Let us get out of this place and move on to the next one." said Johanna. The other two agreed and they left to try their luck in the next crypt.

* * *

Naruto, Li-Ming and Valla entered their own crypt as Naruto took point and the two women followed and covered his flanks as they fought off more of the undead and skeletons. They finished clearing one of the corridors and were about to move around the corner to another when Naruto heard children giggling and suddenly ran off in surprise.

"Shit! What the hell are kids doing here?!" Li-Ming and Valla both heard a glimpse of the laughter as well and they tried to stop him from running off.

""Naruto wait!"" It was too late as he was already around the corner as they heard him yell in surprise.

"Ahhh! What the fuck?! Oww! You little shits! Get off me!"

Before the two could turn the corner themselves, they saw what appeared to be a child being thrown directly across from them as it hit the wall opposite to the corridor. Li-Ming and Valla both knew what it actually was and Valla did not hesitate to put a bolt in its forehead, killing it. They then finally turned the corner with Naruto not in sight and several more of the tiny monsters running around in circles and still giggling while looking up. There they saw Naruto sticking to the ceiling trying to catch his breath and they could see blood staining his pants and tears in his shirt. The two women took the opportunity of Naruto's distraction and dispatched the tiny terrors that got Naruto all flustered without batting an eye.

"Okay, what the fuck _are_ those things?!"

"They're imps Naruto. They may be the size of small children but they're actually demons, though they are immature and relatively weak. They also always come in packs, giving them a numbers advantage because of their frailty. They take advantage of people like you and lure them in with their giggling to get an easy meal. And since when can you just stick to the ceiling like that?" said Li-Ming.

"Oh this. I could always do this, just haven't really had the need to till now. But those things are so not fair! Preying on my kindness for children like that! That's playing dirty!"

"Demons always fight dirty Naruto. I would think that would be obvious by now." said Valla.

"Yeah well… I don't like it!" Naruto exclaimed as he allowed himself to fall from the ceiling to rejoin the two on the ground.

"Yes we can tell, can we move on now?"

"Are you going to be okay Naruto? Do you want us to take point to keep the scary imps away from you? Hahaha!" Said Li-Ming sarcastically, making fun of his surprise of such small demons getting the best of him.

"Yeah yeah, laugh it up Li-Ming. I still got point, those little things won't fool _me_ twice!"

The three continued forward with some more fighting along the way, and this time Naruto didn't falter when faced with more imps. When they finished off some more enemies in one area they had to move around and under a fallen pillar that was leaning against a wall and blocked their view of their next foes as Naruto was the first to see them and froze. Li-Ming and Valla noticed his pause and caused some alarm in them, especially Li-Ming since the last time she remembered him stiffening up like that they were beset upon by giant squid. So she was concerned for what would give him pause now and asked what was wrong.

"What is it Naruto? Is it something really dangerous?" Naruto did not answer as he was stock still with wide eyes, completely focused on what lay up ahead.

Li-Ming tried to snap him out of it by waving her hand in front of his face but he remained unresponsive, and Valla was the one to look around the pillar to see what he was staring at so intently.

"Oh my god. _Please_ tell me you're joking?"

"Huh? What is it Valla?" Li-Ming asked as she as well went to look for herself and could not believe this is what they stopped for. "Seriously Naruto. Ghosts?" That broke him out of his stupor as he quickly tried to quiet them down with frantic whispers.

"Shhhh! Don't say that! They'll hear you!"

"I can't believe this. We don't have time for this." Valla grew impatient and quickly tossed one of her knives at one of the wandering ghosts, killing it and making it disperse into dust. When Naruto saw that he immediately reacted in disbelief as he grabbed Valla by the shoulders moving them back behind the pillar to get them out of view and making her face him as he spoke to her frantically.

"Did you just… with a knife… you just killed the g-g-g-g-ghoooo..."

"Ghost." said Li-Ming.

"Shhhh! Don't say it!"

"Did I kill it with one of my knives? Yes, that's exactly what I did. Now let go of me before I use my knives on _you_."

Naruto did as requested but began muttering to himself. "She killed it with a knife, she killed it with a knife." He kept repeating this mantra over and over in quick succession as the two looked on in slight worry for his mental health. Their slight worry turned to complete worry as he slowly began laughing hysterically. "HAHAHAHAHA! SHE KILLED IT WITH A KNIFE!" Naruto then jumped out from behind the pillar giving a loud war cry running after the nearest ghost throwing his fist as hard as he could all the while yelling like a man possessed. "IN THE FACE! IN THE FAAACE!" Li-Ming and Valla walked out to see that was exactly what he was doing. He was punching every single ghost there in the face and turning them to dust.

"… I have no words. I truly fear for all of Sanctuary if he is to be our salvation."

"Well, at least it's never dull around here. Right?"

"I think I would prefer dull and boring compared to this."

"Oh come on now, it isn't that bad Valla."

"WHERE ARE YOU GOING?! DON'T RUN AWAY! I'M GONNA HAUNT YOU IN THE AFTERLIFE FOREVER! ALL YOU… MONSTROSITIES, WILL LEARN TO FEAR NARUTO UZUMAKI! HAHAHAHA!"

"I beg to differ. The ghosts are _actually_ running away from him now."

"Okay, maybe it's getting a little freaky. But at least he's clearing all this up pretty quickly now."

"He's just going after the ghosts."

"Oh. (sigh) Well, I guess we should clean up after him and kill the rest of our enemies in here."

* * *

' _Kurama, is he gonna be alright?' asked Isobu._

' _Why are you asking me?'_

' _Well you_ have _known him the longest.' said Son Goku._

' _He'll be fine. As these two women with him would say, 'he's just being an idiot.''_

' _Aren't you worried?' asked Kokuo._

' _What do I look like, his mother?'_

' _Hahaha! Yes! Give in to it Naruto! Let the madness consume you and rip those ghosts to shreds! Show no mercy! Hahahahaha!'_

'' _SHUT UP SHUKAKU!''_

* * *

The two women proceeded to kill the zombies and skeletons that Naruto continued to ignore in his hunt for more ghosts. After a long while they finally cleared the crypt but there was no crown in sight so they had to move on to the next one. When they caught up to Naruto at the end of the crypt he had just finished the last of the ghosts that were there.

"Ahh. This is a great day isn't it? It feels good to finally conquer your fears with your fists. I feel soo much better now."

"…"

"…"

"What is it? Is there something on my face?"

"… No words Naruto." Valla just shook her head at him not able to say anymore as she turned around to leave the crypt now that it was empty.

"What? What is it?"

"You are… truly one of a kind Naruto."

"Aw, thanks Li-Ming!"

"I'm not really sure I meant that as a compliment."

"Huh?" Li-Ming didn't bother to elaborate as she followed Valla's example to exit the crypt, leaving a confused Naruto behind.

' _Brat.'_

' _Huh? What's up Kurama?'_

' _Did you finally get all that out of your system?'_

' _Yup! I have no more irrational fears now! They can send all the… ghosts, they want at me! I'll just knock the shit out of them!'_

' _Well congratulations brat, but you're still a damn idiot.'_

' _Whatever fuzz-butt, I feel too good to care right now!'_

' _But what if there are ghosts that you_ can't _punch out there?' asked Matatabi._

' _Shhhh! Don't say that! I'm on a roll here!'_

' _Ooops, sorry Naruto-kun.'_

* * *

(Somewhere in the Afterlife)

"Hinata… there is something seriously wrong with your husband."

"I don't know why you're telling her that forehead. You're the one who probably caused whatever brain damage he has with your monster fists."

"What did you say pig?! I haven't hit him in over six decades, and the last time I checked up on him he was perfectly healthy, like always!"

"That just makes it more suspicious! Since you were his doctor you could have just forged those documents making everyone think he was fine!"

"What?!"

"Now now, Sakura-chan, Ino-chan. There's no need for arguing, Naruto-kun was just excited is all. It's not everyday you conquer one of your worst fears. He just got a little carried away."

""A little!""

"Yeah girls. Remember, the wife always knows best. And I don't appreciate you thinking there's something wrong with my son. It was perfectly normal for him to kick all those ghosts asses. Show'em who's boss sochi! Yeah!"

""Sorry, Kushina-sama.""

"" _So_ that's _where he gets it from.""_

* * *

Naruto's group made it out of their first crypt and were moving to go into the next one on the other side of the cemetery. They were about to enter when Naruto felt the familiar signatures of his other companions exiting the crypt to the south.

"Hold on. I can feel Nazeebo and the others coming back from their second crypt."

"Already? That seems fast." said Li-Ming.

"Well our first one was pretty large if I had to say. Not all crypts are built the same." said Valla.

"That's true. Let's see if they found anything."

They then moved to the other crypt to wait for their companions outside. Sure enough the three walked out and strapped to Sonya's hip where one of her swords was, was an old crown.

"So you found it!"

"Indeed, but it was not an easy task." said Sonya.

"What happened?"

"We had to battle Haedrig's grandfather. His spirit was most displeased with us." said Nazeebo.

"Yes, he was a powerful ghost, but we defeated him." said Johanna.

"A ghost! Oh man! I would have loved to get in on that! I could have…" Naruto just continued rambling about all the things he could have done against it as the others looked to Li-Ming and Valla in confusion of his excitement in fighting a ghost.

"It's… a disturbing story. So I'll tell you about it later." Li-Ming answered their unasked question with nonchalance and they just nodded their heads in agreement, curious as to what their most enigmatic companion had done this time. "Well, since we have the crown we should go back to town to get it restored. I'm sure Haedrig can do it for us since he's the only blacksmith here."

"Okay, I'll send some clones into the last crypt to clear it out. The townspeople will have to use the cemetery again soon for those they've lost, so it's best if we get everything that's dangerous out of all the crypts. There's a waypoint here so we can use it to get back to town."

"Let us move then." said Valla.

One by one they each used the waypoint in the cemetery with Naruto going last since he wanted to try it out for the first time, just to experience it at least once. When they were all back in town they went to Haedrig who was working on some of the militia's equipment and brought him the crown to restore it.

"So you've found it! I knew you could do it! I hope you didn't go through too much trouble."

"Naw, Nazeebo, Sonya and Johanna handled it on their second try. No problem for them."

"Good, good. Now let's see here. Should be no problem. Give me a few hours and I should have it good as new again."

"Okay Haedrig. We leave it in your hands for now."

Naruto and the others went to the inn to relax a little since it also served as the town's tavern. When they got inside they were immediately spotted by Leah and her uncle who were sitting at a long table, looking over some notes they had.

"You're all back! How did it go, did you get the crown?"

"Worry not Leah, the crown is with Haedrig now, bringing it back to its former glory." said Sonya.

"That's great! You all must be hungry right? Some of the other women and I made a large batch of stew with some vegetables we had on hand with some more of the meat left from this morning. There's still plenty so you should all eat right now while you can."

"That's a great idea Leah! I know I could use some more nourishment right now." said Li-Ming. The others all agreed with her as they could use some food as well and some of the women in the inn offered to serve them while they could sit and relax for a while, but Naruto wasn't as enthusiastic once she used the word vegetable.

"Can't I just have some more meat."

"Well we used the rest of it for the stew, and vegetables are good for you Naruto. So you have to eat up and get your proper nutrients."

"But…"

"No buts! Just eat it!"

"But…"

"Eat it or you get nothing."

"…"

"…"

"… Fine then."

"Must you be so juvenile. I'm sure _actual_ children wouldn't complain as much as you." said Johanna.

"That's it! You're on the mean list too Johanna!" Li-Ming and Valla once again retaliated the same as before with a slap and punch to the head, and Johanna and the others just burst into laughter alongside Naruto over his antics. Cain and Leah joined in on the laughter as well and Cain spoke up to Naruto.

"Fret not young man, my niece has a way with dealing with stubbornness. She's had to put me in _my_ place on many an occasion as well."

"It was for your own good uncle."

"Yes, I know my dear. And not a day goes by that I'm not grateful for it."

"Well, you're welcome."

"You two are really close huh?"

"Of course, uncle Deckard has taught me everything I know. And I've seen so much of the world already because of him." Cain just gave Leah a grandfatherly smile for her words and she returned one of her own. "So do you think you are ready to fight the Skeleton King and retrieve the fallen star?"

"We will be Leah. No more splitting up when we finally confront him. He's gonna have a hell of a time trying to bring us all down, that's for sure."

"I believe you. I believe in all of you. I know you can do this." The group of warriors looked to Leah with appreciation for her words and they all gave her firm nods in agreement. Showing that they too have confidence to bring down the Skeleton King and retrieve the fallen star.


	9. Chapter 9

AN: I have a treat for you.~ (sorry, couldn't resist) Anyway, I am sooooooooo sorry this took so long, and it's pure coincidence that I finished this on Halloween, I did _not_ plan this. As soon as summer finished I just got really busy and couldn't find the time to write as often as I could, but you don't want to hear excuses. An update is finally here and we're moving along. Hopefully the only thing you might have to complain about is that I probably rushed a couple of the fight scenes, I'm not too happy with it but I don't think I have it in me to rewrite anything right now. But I do have a couple of surprises towards the end that I hope will make some people happy.

And about the romance and the pairings that several people have brought up. I know it's slow going but I'm trying to add little hints here and there but I don't want to rush it. And I'm sorry if I lose readers for this but some reviewers are kind of making me lean towards the harem but it won't be a large number and I want to try and make it tasteful. But this _is_ my first story so I don't know how well I can make it, and my mind isn't set in stone so we'll just have to see what happens. Thanks again for those who favorited, followed, and reviewed. Hope you enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 9

Back at the Slaughtered Calf Inn, Naruto and his group finished eating their late lunch but still had some time to kill before Haedrig would be finished with the crown. Naruto, deciding not to let time go wasted, wanted to finish the conversation he had with the recent widows of New Tristram to see if they would be interested in what he had in mind. So he left the others to rest and relax for a while longer as he went in search for the three women. He easily tracked two of the women to a part of town where they were helping some other villagers with random chores to keep busy. One of the women saw him approaching and greeted him when he came closer.

"Hello Naruto. We are glad to see that you and the others made it back safely."

"Hello. Thanks, it wasn't all that difficult. But uh, how did you know my name? I don't think we actually introduced ourselves when we first spoke did we?"

"No, we didn't. Leah told us what your name is when she was helping earlier. My name is Alden by the way."

"Alden, I'll remember that. I wanted to talk to you three about my proposal if you have the time. I see one of the others helping over there but where is your other friend? I'd like to speak with all of you together if I can."

"Corliss is looking after the children down in the bunker. We should have some time to spare right now. I'll go help Mildred finish quickly and meet you there. We should have more privacy down there in our room."

"Okay. I'll meet you down there."

Naruto went back to the town square and entered the bunker and decided to make a quick trip to see how those kids were doing. As he neared the door to their room, he saw the other woman who he assumed would be Corliss, standing in the doorway watching over them. She noticed him as he got closer and smiled at him but put a finger to her lips to indicate to keep quiet. Naruto reached the doorway and saw they were in the middle of a nap and closed the door to keep from waking them.

"How have they been doing?"

"Relatively well, all things considered. They ate a bit more for lunch than they did this morning. But they are still really tired. The poor things."

"They just need time, and to know that they are not alone. I appreciate you looking after them, they definitely need someone right now."

"Not at all. I love children, I wanted to have some of my own one day, but..." Corliss had a sad smile on her face and began to tear up but she fought them off to regain her composure.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'll be fine." It was then that Alden and Mildred came upon them both and saw Corliss was a little emotional and ushered her into their room they shared with a few of the other women. They comforted her as best they could and told her that Naruto was there to speak to them about his proposition. When he felt they were ready, Naruto walked in to begin explaining to them.

"Hello ladies. As Leah has already told you of me, I am Naruto Uzumaki. Alden here has also made me aware of your names as well, so I'll be sure to remember them. What you may have already guessed what I wanted to speak to you about, is seeing that our two recent orphans here are taken care of. You also mentioned to me that you three yourselves are in a bind financially because of what's happened here. I can tell that you all are good people and you have taken a genuine interest in the well-being of those two children, and I want to be able to help you three as well. So what I am essentially proposing is to fund an orphanage that will be run by you three."

Alden had a vague idea of what he might propose to them so she wasn't as shocked to hear him say it, but her two other widowed friends were not as perceptive as she, so they were a bit stunned by his words. None of them however were entirely sure they could take responsibility of an entire orphanage so they were hesitant. Naruto also knew this wasn't something to be taken lightly so he elaborated a bit more to them.

"I know this is a lot of responsibility and none of you have any obligation to accept this, but as you can tell, myself and my companions cannot take them with us, as much as I'd like to. We will be in constant danger fighting demons and other monsters, which is no place for children to be. If you are wondering why I would go so far for complete strangers, it's because I myself am an orphan. I grew up with no parents so I know whats it's like to be alone, and that is not something I would want for any child."

"But isn't an entire orphanage a little much for just two children?" asked Corliss.

"As much as it pains me to say, I don't believe they will be last orphaned children we will find throughout our journey. This world gets more and more dangerous everyday, and more families will be torn apart just like theirs was and as well as yours. I will admit that I don't have an infinite amount of money to provide, but I can easily provide you with proper shelter with my abilities and even strong fruit bearing trees that can keep you from starving. I can also leave you a way to contact me should an emergency ever arise and you need immediate help. I also promise to do my best to procure more funds so that you three as well as the children have all the necessities you need."

"This is a lot to take in, but I can see how it will benefit us as well. It just seems like a lot of responsibility." said Mildred.

"I know, and it _is_ a lot of responsibility. Children and especially teenagers are a handful to take care of. However, should you accept, I just want you to know that if you ever want to back out, the choice is yours. If you feel you can't do it anymore, or there is a child you want to personally adopt, or if you even fall in love again sometime down the road and want to start your own family, then I will not hold it against you. I just ask that you let me know before hand so that I may find others to fill in that spot. Also, if the orphanage ever does grow to be bigger than what you can handle then I'll also try to find others who are willing to help to lessen your burden should that happen. I don't want you to think this is a lifetime commitment. It will be tough work, but maybe you'll also find it rewarding, because you will essentially be raising these children unless someone wants to adopt them. And adoption is another whole can of worms I don't want to get into right now. But please just think about it, you don't have to answer me right away. I think we'll probably be in town for a while longer before we have to move on."

With Naruto's piece said and done he left the three women to think and discuss it amongst themselves. As Naruto walked out of the room and turned to go back out, he saw Valla there leaning against the wall in thought until she saw him exit the room. Before Naruto could say anything she spoke to him first.

"Sorry for eavesdropping. I was just coming back to resupply when I heard you speaking to those three. I became curious as to what you were talking about but it wasn't my intention to…"

"No no, don't worry about it Valla. It's not like it was a secret or anything. We just didn't want to be distracted by anything else going on out there. So it's fine, nothing to be sorry for."

"Thank you. I can really respect what you're trying to do here. It was wrong of me to doubt you earlier, I apologize for what I said."

"It's nothing Valla. What you said isn't wrong. If you could talk to any of my old friends they would tell you that I tend to bite off more than I can chew sometimes, which is probably true. But then again they would always be there to support me in the end; even if one of them would say it'd be too troublesome all the time."

* * *

"(achoo!) Troublesome blonde. I can't believe that myth is true. I hear him talking about me and he goes and makes me sneeze. Such a drag."

"You better not be trying to smoke again Shikamaru! I didn't spend years making you kick that habit just for you to start again!"

"I wasn't talking about smoking you troublesome woman!"

"What did you say to me?!"

"(sigh) Even on another world Naruto still causes me problems. Troublesome."

* * *

"You know, we never really hear you talking about your friends. Why is that?"

"I have… buried all my old friends already, but I'm not sad about it. I can tell they're still looking out for me. They were really a great group I could put my entire faith in. They're one of the main reasons that I can continue to push forward, and I'll keep fighting with them at my back. They wouldn't expect anything less so I can't disappoint them."

"I see, I'm sorry if I brought up bad memories."

Naruto had a big grin on his face as he responded to Valla. "If you keep apologizing to me like that I'm gonna think you like me more than you say you do."

Valla just rolled her eyes at his remark and responded in usual fashion. "Shut up Naruto."

"Hahaha! You're always fun to tease Valla. Well I do have some friends that are still hanging around. You'll probably see them in the future, but they're a bunch of moochers if you ask me."

' _Who's the moocher you brat?! Come in here and say that to our faces!'_ All the Biju were in an uproar for that remark, instead calling _him_ the moocher since he would use _their_ chakra. Naruto just laughed in his head, he liked to tease them too.

"Besides, I got all of you guys now, I think of all of you as friends of mine."

"I suppose we have known each other long enough to be considered friends. Even if you _are_ annoying most of the time. Anyway, for what it's worth, I hope those women accept your proposal."

"Thanks Valla. I appreciate that, I hope they accept as well." Naruto and Valla then parted ways as he went back outside and she went back to her room to restock her knives and bolts and rest a little more until Haedrig is done with the crown.

* * *

Daylight was fading away as Haedrig put his final touches on the crown. Li-Ming, and Valla wanted to get in a little more rest in their rooms and Nazeebo was also in his room but using his time to meditate. Naruto, Sonya, Johanna and Leah were sitting around the fire pit enjoying some small talk when Haedrig came up to them with the newly refinished crown.

"Well here it is. New as the day it was placed upon the Black King's head."

"Would you look at that. It looks great Haedrig, couldn't have done it without you." said Naruto.

"Well done Haedrig. Impressive work." said Johanna.

"Yes, thank you for your efforts. You did very well with my swords also, they cut much more cleanly than before." said Sonya.

"That's good to hear, but don't mention it. After what you've all done for me and my wife, and this entire town, this is the least I could do for you. Whenever you have time for me to work on your other weapons or armor, just give the word."

"Thanks Haedrig, but I'm afraid more repairs are gonna have to come later. We got a job to do and we aim to retrieve that fallen star tonight. We can't afford to wait any longer." said Naruto.

"I understand. We all appreciate what you're doing here. And before I forget, if you happen to find any scrap metal or old weapons or armor laying around, bring 'em to me would ya. I could always use more materials to keep making repairs or more weapons and armor."

"Will do Haedrig, that shouldn't be a problem. I'll go get the others and we'll be on our way."

"Good luck out there, but I don't think you'll really need it." Naruto gave Haedrig a smile and a nod and moved to retrieve the others from the bunker and Haedrig went back into his wagon to be with his wife and get some rest. Not too long after, Naruto returned with the others and they were all ready to get things started again and go back beneath the cathedral.

"You all stay safe out there okay. I would go with you, but I think I would just get in your way. And remember, all you have to do is place the crown atop Leoric's head and his spirit should be forced back inside his body. Once you defeat him that should finally be the end of the Skeleton King." said Leah.

"We understand Leah. After tonight, the Skeleton King will be no more. With our group here, not even his legion of skeletal warriors will be able to help him." said Li-Ming.

"I agree Li-Ming, you are all just so strong that I'd be worried if there _was_ something that could stop you. I just hope that whatever the fallen star is, it will help us put an end to all this."

"Don't you worry Leah, we'll all make it back with that fallen star just fine. Count on it." Naruto said as he and the others bid Leah farewell and made their way to the waypoint in the center of the town square and one by one they all flashed away to reappear in the cathedral gardens.

Once they were all there, they wasted no more time and went back into the chapel to come out of the hidden bookcase that Cain took them through. They came upon large double doors that led further below into the next section of the cathedral and continued on through. Much of the same monsters continued to roam the lower level of the cathedral, and with the usual formation of Naruto, Sonya, and Johanna up front and Li-Ming, Nazeebo and Valla covering them, they had no trouble dealing with the enemies in front of them. Instead of splitting up like before they agreed to stay together while Naruto sent out shadow clones to scout ahead in search for the next entrance to the lower levels while ignoring all the monsters, leaving the original and his group to take care of them.

After several minutes, Naruto received his clones' memories and had the layout of this level of the cathedral in his head and led the group towards the next entrance below. Naruto then had the clones backtrack into the empty upper levels of the cathedral to gather any scrap metal and bring it back to Haedrig. It still took their group some time to fight their way through the hordes of enemies as they ran into skeletal summoners called tomb guardians who could also fire arcane orbs at them. These new summoners had a slow gait and were easy to locate because they let out mad cackles, most likely portraying their very own mad king, so they weren't very difficult to handle but it took more time as they kept summoning reinforcements, but after about an hour or so of fighting they made it to the next level.

As they made their way further down they could hear a man groaning in pain accompanied by what sounded like chanting from a group of men. They all rushed forward and at the bottom of the next set of stairs, Naruto and Valla saw the familiar yellow garb of seven Coven members surrounding the man while using their dark magics on him. Li-Ming recognized the chanting they were saying and realized what they were trying to do to him.

"Hurry, they are trying to possess him with a spirit of a demon!"

None of them needed an invitation so they all made quick work of the Coven. Naruto was the first to target two of the Coven furthest to the back and they didn't even realized they were under attack before they were dead with a kunai in their hearts. The others attacked simultaneously as Sonya and Johanna leaped off the top of the stairs landing lethal blows that cut one nearly in half and crushed another Coven member's head in. Li-Ming fired a magic missile that pierced through her target's chest and set him aflame, and Nazeebo conjured a snake that was shot at another Coven member that was aimed for his jugular, with the snake's deadly poison killing him quickly. Valla rapidly fired off three serrated arrows at the back of her own target, two of which each pierced a lung and the third came out through his throat; out of all the others, he did not die as quickly.

' _Still a lot of hate in that one.'_

' _I know Gyuki, but there's not much I can do right now. At least he won't suffer too much.'_

' _I don't blame her, these sorry excuses for humans deserve far worse if you ask me.'_ said Kurama.

The man the Coven was attacking was still in quite a bit of pain with burn marks marring his skin as he lay on the ground breathing heavily. Naruto moved quickly and set up his barrier again to heal him and purge any residual magics of the Coven from his body. After a few minutes Naruto finished and he helped him up to his feet again. He was a man with black hair and a strong build, telling them that he is no stranger to battle. He had no armor or weapons on him only wearing a brown tunic and pants.

"Are you gonna be alright there?"

"I thank you for your aid, but a Templar's will is not so easily broken. We are accustomed to pain."

"That's… nice, but how did you get down here?"

"I was on a mission given to me by my Order. I was hunting down a betrayer of the Templar, Jondar. He betrayed our sacred Order to join with these filthy cultists! I thought I finally had him cornered but I was ambushed and captured by the Coven and taken down here. They stripped me of my weapons and armor but I know they kept them here somewhere. I must find my gear and complete my mission. Will you aid me?"

"Of course, we were on our way to fight the Skeleton King and get to the fallen star that crashed through here."

"We?" The man turned around facing away from Naruto as he finally took notice of the others that stood to his back, seeing one man and four women. It seemed he was not accustomed to being in the presence of four admittedly beautiful women as his eyes went wide and his face turned red. Naruto could hear him whispering to himself, the same phrase over and over. "I am a man of my faith, I am a man of my faith."

Naruto thought it was funny and the others looked on in some confusion. Li-Ming figured out why he was so flustered as he kept looking between herself and her fellow females and just gave him a wide teasing grin. Valla also figured it out but she just rolled her eyes thinking he was a little immature, but otherwise unaffected by it. Naruto finally decided to save him from embarrassing himself and clapped him hard on the shoulder to break him out of his thoughts.

"You doing okay there buddy? Name's Naruto Uzumaki by the way, from left to right we have Johanna, she's a Crusader, then there's Nazeebo, our Witch Doctor, Li-Ming is a Wizard, Valla is a Demon Hunter, and finally we have Sonya, our resident Barbarian." All the aforementioned warriors gave their own small greetings or a nod of the head to the man as they were introduced.

The man sputtered a bit but recomposed himself enough to respond. "(cough) Yes, excuse me, I am Kormac of the Templar Order. It is very good to meet you all as well. You say you are on your way to face the Skeleton King; then our goals align. As a member of the Templar Order it is my duty to fight against the darkness. And as thanks for giving me your aid, I will accompany you on your journey. All I ask is that I be allowed to face down Jondar alone, it is my responsibility as a Templar to put an end to his treachery."

"Sounds fair enough, but we have to find your gear first. I can't in good conscience let an unarmed man fight alone."

"Yes, I believe I saw one of the Coven take my property down a corridor not too far from here. I am afraid I must rely on your strength until I find my weapons, then I will be sure to make up my share of the fighting."

"No problem Kormac, just stay by us and keep an eye out for your belongings."

"Right!"

"Okay. Let's keep going."

They all moved forward and fought through more enemies, which included more of the Coven, while Kormac stayed close to them but out of the way. He didn't like to be protected like this but without his weapons or armor, he was more of a liability than an asset. Continuing to move forward, after killing another hoard of enemies, Kormac saw what he recognized to be his shield down a small corridor that led to a dead end.

"There it is, my shield! I can see it! It's down this way!"

"Hey! Hold on a minute, don't just go running off on your own!" Kormac didn't seem to hear Naruto and kept going as Naruto gave a sigh of frustration. "You guys just keep going. I'll cover him and we'll catch up."

The others proceeded to move ahead while Naruto went to catch up to Kormac. He arrived just in time too as more Coven appeared and Kormac was fighting them off with just his fists. Just as they begun to summon demons, Naruto stepped in and took them out before they could summon anything.

"Geez Kormac, you could've gotten yourself killed."

"Oh, um, forgive me, but I just couldn't help myself once I saw my shield. It means a lot to me. And look! Everything else is here as well! All my armor, and my spear too! It was all here underneath my shield."

"Well I'm glad you found all your stuff, but you gotta be more careful next time. You don't want to be captured a second time do you?"

"No, no of course not. I apologize for my rash actions, it won't happen again!"

"Well good. Go ahead and get situated and we can catch up to the others."

"Right! With all my gear here I will be sure to fight alongside you this time."

It took Kormac several minutes to put on all his armor just right as Naruto kept a look out for anything else, but with the others taking care of business further ahead there wasn't anything coming their way. Kormac stood ready to fight once more wearing heavy iron armor trimmed with bronze from head to toe with a full helmet that left only a slit for his eyes open. The shield he was so worried about was a large round heavy steel shield with the profile of a wolf with an open maw emblazoned on the front (Defender of Westmarch). The weapon he used was a spear with the tip closely reminiscent to a double edged sword with an elaborately carved guard and the handle also ending with a smaller edged tip (Akanesh, The Herald of Righteousness).

"I am ready to do battle once again!"

"Well we better hurry or there won't be anything left for us to fight if we take too long."

"Then let us go!"

Naruto and Kormac began to sprint off following the carnage left behind by their group. It didn't take them too long until they were all back together and fighting.

"I take it our new friend here found all his belongings, did he?" said Johanna.

"Yup, look at him go! Seems like he wants to make up for all the missed fighting he couldn't do."

"At least he can hold his own."

Kormac jumped into the fray beside the others as he charged forward with his shield held up to defend and using spear thrusts and slashes to cut down more of the Coven that came before them. Kormac's style of fighting resembled the Amazon way of fighting but with his heavier armor compared to theirs he focused more on power than speed and evasion. His large shield helped him defend himself but it lessened his maneuverability. Kormac is a good fighter but even he can tell that those surrounding him are more powerful, but that didn't stop him from giving them his aid. Out behind another group of summoned skeletons, Kormac saw the familiar visage of the man he was hunting.

"JONDAR! FACE ME!" Jondar looked to see that Kormac was the one who shouted at him and was surprised to see that he was still alive. He saw the other warriors easily defeating the Coven and the other monsters and decided to escape. Kormac saw this and immediately gave chase after his former comrade.

"Well there our friend goes again." said Li-Ming.

"(sigh) What is with this guy?!" exclaimed Naruto.

"I will follow him. From one paladin order to another I will help defend him from any who wish to interfere with his mission." said Johanna.

"I will aid you as well Johanna. You shouldn't go off on your own either." said Valla.

"Alright, you two be careful. We'll finish up here and follow soon after." Naruto and Sonya cleared a small path for Valla and Johanna to run through by knocking back a large group in front of them and the Demon Hunter and Crusader were off to follow the runaway Templar.

* * *

Kormac followed Jondar through more skeletal warriors, defending himself from their attacks but otherwise ignoring them in order to keep up with his adversary. Not too long after running down a flight of stairs, Jondar came to a stop in an empty area ready to face off with Kormac.

"You were a Templar Jondar! How could you succumb to this, _Coven?_!"

"Do you remember what they did to us, what we endured for our so called Order?"

"Our suffering was necessary in order to purge the darkness within us! So that we could be reborn, free from sin!"

"The treachery of the Order runs deep Kormac, that is wh…"

"No! I will not listen to these lies! You must be punished for your transgressions! Prepare yourself!"

"So be it. Maybe one day you will learn as I did and understand. But not even the Order will matter anymore, the Lords of Hell have already begun to move. This is not a war we can win. And that is why I have joined this Coven."

As Kormac was prepared to fight his fallen comrade, Jondar took out something from a small pouch on his hip. It was too small to be a weapon but Kormac could see a faint red shimmer coming from Jondar's palm. Without any hesitation Jondar swallowed whatever it was, giving an immediate reaction. He lurched over in sudden pain yelling out as his skin began to burn and his muscles in his left arm began to expand destroying the armor covering his arm as it grew large claws over three feet long and horns growing from his head and other parts of his body. He finally stopped screaming in pain as his entire body started to glow a familiar dark purple and he hovered a few inches off the ground.

The newly transformed Jondar moved very fast almost catching Kormac off guard as he swung his giant claw at him but was fortunately blocked.

"What did you do Jondar?! What have you done to yourself?!"

"The man you once knew is gone now. He has given his body up as a host to demonic spirits." Said Valla from the top of the stairs as she and Johanna finally caught up to Kormac after fighting their way through the skeletal minions he had ignored. "He is a Dark Thrall now, a servant of Hell." Kormac continued to fend off the possessed Templar's attacks as he listened and couldn't help but pity the man he once fought beside.

"You fool Jondar." All he got in response was demonic screeching and more attacks coming his way. Kormac was purely on the defensive as the Dark Thrall was a little too fast, but he has avoided injury so far.

"Do you want us to help you? There is no honor in a needless death." said Johanna.

"No. He… he was a Templar. It is my duty to put an end to what he has become!"

Valla and Johanna could only respect his wishes as they looked on with Kormac still defending with his shield. On the next hit to his shield it began to glow a faint blue and a large ethereal wolf came charging out with a howl and ran right through the Dark Thrall causing it some pain as it staggered back a little. Kormac did not hesitate and with a yell he charged once the opening was given and thrust his spear right into its chest piercing it all the way through. The twisted face of Jondar gave a loud scream as it's final death rattle. Kormac came to terms with what was done as he looked on in apathy as the demonic spirits fled the dying body. The transformed body of Jondar slid off his spear falling to the ground as his former comrade lay dead. As the body hit the ground he saw one of the tomes of his order fall out of the broken armor and moved to retrieve it.

"You deserve this sacred scripture no longer Jondar. I will take this, and continue the sacred duties of the Templar Order."

"Well done Kormac. You have completed your mission." Said Johanna as she and Valla moved down the stairs to face him.

"Yes. I thank you for not interfering. Now that my mission is over, I would be honored to continue giving my aid to your group. There can never be too many warriors to fight Hell's evils."

"Well said. I'm sure no one would mind a new addition to our group."

"Thank you! My spear and shield are yours." Said Kormac as he gave a short bow to Johanna and Valla.

"Really? You would give me your shield?"

"What?! B-b-bu… I meant… Not my shield!"

"Hahaha! I'm just joking with you Kormac I know what you meant. I am quite partial to my own shield, so I can understand your sentiment."

"Oh, uh… good, very good. Haha. You really surprised me there."

"You… are spending _way_ too much time around Naruto, Johanna."

"You think so?"

"Yes."

"Hmm. Perhaps you are right. I will admit that I haven't had too many cheerful days before I met him. He is certainly a bright light in the darkness that surrounds us. I used to love to laugh as a child. That all stopped once I was apprenticed to my master and shown the truths of our world."

"I suppose you have a point. Reality is often extremely cruel, but our friend is a strange one. At times I think he is naive with his idealism and cheerful attitude, but his eyes and actions tell me he is all too aware of the world's harsh realities."

"Are you speaking of your blonde haired comrade, the one who healed me? He is a… joyous person?" asked Kormac.

"If you stick around long enough, you'll find out." said Valla.

"Okay?"

Not too long after, the others caught up with them, having finished off the enemies that surrounded them. Naruto noticed the dead and deformed body of the man Kormac was chasing and asked what the others with him were thinking.

"Did you complete your objective Kormac?"

"Yes, Jondar's treachery has been put to an end. And your two comrades here have said it is okay that I remain with your group to continue to fight by your side."

"That's great! Glad to have you Kormac. Okay, is everyone still good to keep going?"

Everyone gave their own affirmations that they were ready to continue, and it turned out that Jondar had led Kormac to an area that had the entrance of the next level below the Cathedral close by, so there was no need to search any further.

* * *

This next level was much like the others before but it was starting to grate on Naruto's nerves at just how big the Cathedral was. It seemed that every level they enter, it is bigger than the last and there are even more enemies within to slow them down.

"Who the hell designed this place?! Why is it so, damn huge?!"

"The Horadrim was a very large organization at its peak, which is when the cathedral was built after Diablo was sealed away. It was most likely the greatest army of man that Sanctuary had ever born witness to. They needed those numbers in order to fight the Prime Evils after the Dark Exile, otherwise they would have never been able to seal them within the soulstones in the first place." said Li-Ming.

"It doesn't make this any less annoying that these halls are just full of monsters and demons now!"

"I am afraid it does not, but there is nothing more we can do but continue our fight and clear away these halls." said Sonya.

"Sonya is correct my friend. We must endure and push forward. Do not allow your patience to wear thin. This will only cloud your mind."

"Come on Nazeebo, using logic is just not fair! Can't you just let me complain in peace?"

"Haha, I am afraid not." said Nazeebo.

Naruto could only grumble to himself as everyone was pretty much in agreement with Nazeebo. They didn't need Naruto's complaining to distract them any further. They continued to fight more and more skeletons and their summoners along with more of the unburied, grotesques and the undead. Another reason it was taking them more time was that there were more monsters and demons with a power boost as they fought off more of these 'champions,' as Li-Ming dubbed them, with the dark purple aura around them.

These champion class monsters also displayed different abilities than what was normal. A group of carrion bats had been able to give off shots of electricity to those around them and it had been Sonya and Kormac who suffered from some electrical burns by them. A tomb guardian had surprised Naruto a bit when it replicated itself as it produced four more copies to attack their group. Naruto took exception to this as he created his own clones and they each just started attacking their own replicated enemy with their fists until they were defeated.

As they moved down another corridor and into another group of enemies, there was yet another small group of champions with that dark purple glow surrounding them. This time it was a group of imps that displayed more than one unique ability. They were not only extremely faster than they had seen before, almost literally running circles around them, making them very difficult to land a hit, but they also began to summon dark orbs of energy that initially floated around them seemingly doing nothing. Li-Ming however knew what these were and made sure to warn everyone to stay away from them.

"Keep your distance from those orbs! Those are pure arcane energies!"

Just as soon as she finished, those orbs became rotating beams that inflicted heavy burns on everything they touched. Even other monsters caught between the beams suffered major damage while most others were just killed outright. The arcane beams faded away after a short delay but more were summoned in random spots that continued to force them to retreat. Naruto had managed to kill one of the imps already but with other enemies before him, he had to force his attention elsewhere, especially when an unburied tried to blindside him. The others tried to land hits on the empowered imps as they kept running around randomly, but one hit here and there was not enough to slow them down. Not even Valla was fast enough to try and properly lead her target to land a hit, so she played it safe and focused on the other monsters around them.

"Ahhh!" Nazeebo groaned out in pain as on another retreat from an orb, he failed to see another one not too far that activated, and the beam burned into the back of his thigh, forcing him to the ground.

Li-Ming was the closest to him as she kneeled down to help him but had to fend off some skeletal minions that moved to attack the downed man, but the orbs made another rotation and she was too distracted to take notice until she saw it out of her peripheral vision. If she moved, Nazeebo would take even more damage. She was about to prepare herself for the incoming pain but all too quickly a shadow loomed over her. She could hear and smell the burning flesh as she saw Naruto take the hit for the two of them, but she could see from his clenched teeth how much pain he was feeling. She only stared in shock, knowing how dangerous those arcane beams were. He had taken a debilitating blow for them but somehow he was still standing up, although she knew he was in quite some pain. She was taken out of her shock and worry as Naruto's face set in an angry visage and turned around to set his sights on the imp champions.

"You, goddamned little shits! This was a perfectly good shirt! Everyone get behind me! Kormac, get Nazeebo and fall back with the others! I'll handle this!"

"Are you…" Kormac was cut off from continuing by Sonya as she batted away more skeletons on her retreat with the others.

"It is best to just do as he says, there is no need to worry." Kormac just nodded his head and moved to help up Nazeebo to get him out of harms way.

Naruto, with the help of Isobu's chakra began to spit out water bullets the size of his fist in a rapid fire sequence that pulverized every enemy it hit, easily breaking bones and rupturing organs, including the imps who he targeted first. These water bullets were not like the normal ones many back in the Elemental Nations were capable of. Isobu's water attacks that Naruto uses combines elements of the coral he can produce which makes his water attacks far more dense than any other water technique, thus making them more powerful. When Naruto had begun training with the Biju in using their chakra he made the simple name change for Isobu's water attacks by just calling it 'hard water.' So the attack he used is really known as the hard water bullet technique when using Isobu's chakra.

They all witnessed Naruto easily take out over a hundred enemies in one attack, even taking out more further down the corridor that hadn't even come to engage them yet. They were all impressed by the display but Li-Ming regained her focus on Naruto's back as there was still a significant burn there that even made an indentation, signifying that much of the muscle there was destroyed. She rushed over to him in a panic as she fussed over him and the others moved their sights to his injury as well. They couldn't help but grimace at the damage. Even Nazeebo's injury wasn't as bad as Naruto's and they couldn't understand how he was still standing.

"You idiot! Why did you do that?! Just look at your back! Oh god, I can see your ribs!" Li-Ming kept babbling incoherently, truly worried and upset that he would take a hit like that for her and Nazeebo. Naruto could understand her worry but yelling at him would get them nowhere.

"Li-Ming!" Naruto shouted at her as he turned around and grabbed her shoulders to get her attention and he gave her a wide grin as she settled down a bit. "I'm not dead okay. So just shut up for a minute." She was taken aback a bit by his words but she could tell there was no malice in them, he was just trying to lighten the mood, so she just nodded her head at him. "Let's all take a minute to breathe okay. I'm fairly certain we're getting really close. These demons have been getting stronger and bigger in number the further we get, which means these are the last lines of defense we have to go through before we get to the Skeleton King. So before we get to our destination, let's get everybody healed up; Nazeebo can't walk on his own right now and I know we've all taken some good hits, so don't even try to deny it. Everyone gather around and let me heal you so we can get this over with."

No one gave any protest as they gathered closer as Naruto activated his barrier and went into Sixth Paths Sage Mode to heal everyone. They all allowed Naruto's energies to engulf them as their aches, pains, and injuries were relieved. All of them with the exception of Kormac, who had not been fully coherent when Naruto first healed him, could handle themselves better as the pressure of his energy did not weigh down on them as much as usual. After a few minutes, with Naruto's injury taking the longest to fully heal, he dropped his sage mode and retrieved the kunai for his barrier. They decided to take a few more minutes to rest before starting the last leg of their mission, and while the others were checking their gear or just preparing themselves, Li-Ming approached Naruto.

"Naruto, I just wanted to say thank you, for saving us back there. I'm sorry, I should have been more aware of my surroundings. You should have nev…"

"Don't apologize Li-Ming, it's not your fault. I'm fine okay. So there isn't anything to apologize for. You were just trying to protect one of your friends, same as me."

"Well, thank you anyway for protecting us."

"You're welcome Li-Ming."

"… Turn around Naruto."

"Huh?"

"Just do it." Naruto did as she said and he felt a slight tug on his shirt as Li-Ming used her magic to sew up the burned edges of his shirt together for a quick fix. The back of his shirt rode up a little higher but the middle of his back wasn't exposed anymore. Naruto turned back to her with a grin as she finished.

"Thanks Li-Ming."

"You're welcome." She gave her own smile in return but they were soon approached by Kormac that looked to have a query on his mind.

"That was an incredible display of power my friend. Truly glorious, but might I ask, why not use such an ability sooner?"

"Good question Kormac! This is a little embarrassing but, a lot of my techniques I use require a lot of concentration if I need to tone them down. Usually I would just let loose but since we're underground, it's a lot more dangerous if I cause too much damage. Wouldn't want to cause a cave in now would I?"

"You mean to tell me that you were holding back with that attack just now?" Asked Kormac, a little stunned at what Naruto was implying.

"Yup, sure was! That's why ever since I've been down here I've only been using my physical attacks. I can control my physical abilities far better than I can control my energy based attacks. I used that attack now because the corridor was long enough that the water bullets would lose momentum before they could cause any significant structural damage. But if we were outside it wouldn't really be a problem, unless we're inside a town or something."

"Unbelievable, I am honored to fight by your side!"

"Same here Kormac. That goes for everyone here."

"Yes, I believe we are all honored to be fighting alongside such capable warriors, but I for one have rested long enough. I am ready to move forward and finally retrieve the fallen star." said Johanna.

"She's right, let us continue our mission." said Valla.

Everyone was ready, and Nazeebo's leg was fully mobile again, so there was no time to delay. The corridor they were in was the last before they came to another entrance, which is where the cathedral halls ended and King Leoric's royal crypts began. These crypts were originally for the Horadric warriors that died but Leoric saw fit to take them over for his own warriors and himself. As they walked by the stone coffins set into the walls, they began to open one by one as more skeletal warriors rose from their graves. Most were pretty easy to defeat as they just killed them as they were rising out of their coffins but it seemed like every other skeleton that was buried here was already awakened up ahead. However, being fully healed and rested, they wasted no time in dealing with these fragile skeletons that barred their way. There were only a couple of champion level monsters but they were immediately focused down by Naruto who didn't want to waste anymore time or risk anyone else being severely injured again so soon.

Thankfully the crypt wasn't as large as the cathedral halls so it didn't take them too long to reach the entrance to Leoric's tomb. The Black King's tomb was by far the most elaborately built crypt that was actually built across a deep crevice in the earth in which a giant waterfall flowed beneath his resting place. All the warriors were in awe of how serene his crypt actually looked but there could be time to explore later if they so wished, they had a King to defeat and a mission to complete.

They could see Leoric's skeleton sat upon a throne across the small canyon beneath the cathedral, still garbed in his royal armor, waiting for his spirit to be forced back into his body. In order to get across they had to take the stone bridge furthest to the right, as the other two had crumbled and washed away beneath the waters. They approached his skeletal corpse cautiously and Naruto indicated to Sonya, who still carried the crown on her hip, to hand it to him so he can get things started. She handed him the crown and Naruto stepped up to the throne noticing how big his skeleton was, which was easily over eight feet tall, maybe even nine.

"Geez, this guy was a giant."

"I don't believe so Naruto. I think when Leoric was corrupted, the demonic energies that engulfed him turned him that way. Look at his teeth, it's like he has fangs, and his nails are like claws, not something that is normal for humans. He was turned into a monster." said Li-Ming.

"I guess that makes sense. Well, no more time to lose. Let's kick this guy's ass!"

Naruto then placed the crown on Leoric's skull, which somehow still had hair on it, and stepped back to join the others to see what would happen. Nothing seemed to happen at first but then a low rumbling began to engulf the entire tomb, after a few moments they could hear mad laughter as Leoric's spirit emerged above his throne from the wall. His spirit then flew once around the group of warriors, trying to intimidate them as he continued to laugh and his spirit finally went to inhabit it's body. Some of the armor that had fallen off of his skeletal corpse flew back to him and reset themselves onto his body as he began to move while first grabbing the great scepter that leaned against the right armrest of his throne. His weapon was a long handled mace that had six dull looking blades that circled around the top, resembling a crown (Mad Monarch's Scepter). He continued chuckling as he stood to his full height that towered over everyone even as he slowly stepped down from the dais of his throne.

"Haha! At last! Your Skeleton King has finally returned!"

"Sorry pal, but you're no king of ours."

"So then, invaders have come before me to take what's rightfully mine. Then you will be dealt with just like all before who opposed me! The punishment for defying the king… IS DEATH!"

Leoric moved quickly, swinging his weapon forward to try and knock back the entire group. Johanna and Sonya took up his challenge and moved to block his swing. Johanna used her shield to block the head of the mace while Sonya used her two swords to block the staff portion of his weapon. The two women were able to halt his momentum, combining their strength to match Leoric's own as both sides struggled to overpower the other. If Leoric had muscles on his face you would know for sure he held a smirk, but even without facial muscles everyone could still somehow tell he was amused, as he then summoned more of his skeletal army around him to help kill these intruders.

More of the skeletal archers, warriors, and even tomb guardians were summoned and they would not have been such a big deal for them to handle, but several of them were Leoric's personal champions that were far stronger than the rest of the minions he summoned. The sounds of bones rattling and skeletons cackling engulfed the tomb as Leoric's small army moved to defend their king.

Sonya and Johanna had to jump away from Leoric as two skeletal champions came from behind their king taking swings at each of them with their weapons. The one to go after Sonya held a great double-headed war ax and the other to attack Johanna held a large two handed broadsword. The two skeletal champions forced the two women back from their king and engaged them in his stead. Everyone else had their own enemies to worry about as they were all surrounded, but they didn't spend two weeks out on the ocean training without results to show for it, and now was not the time to be holding back.

Li-Ming and Nazeebo stayed close together with Nazeebo summoning his gargantuan to help defend them from any enemies who came from behind. Nazeebo then cast a spell he calls Horrify, that summons a spectral voodoo mask that caused the nearby minions to tremble in fear as they were rooted to the ground for a short time. That was all the time they needed to finish them off as Li-Ming stepped in front of Nazeebo and used her powerful Electrocute spell that launched a large outward cone of lightning, unleashing heavy damage and killing all the skeletons who still stood in fear. Their combination attack caught the attention of two champion tomb guardians that noticed a significant part of their army being obliterated with little effort. They moved on the two spell casters to engage them themselves.

During this, Naruto and Kormac were fighting off the minions in front of them with Naruto trying to kill off as many as he could while keeping an eye out for everyone, including Leoric, who just stood in front of his throne with a grin watching his minions fight. Valla was trying to take out the skeletal archers first to keep the ranged enemies from causing too much trouble for her comrades, while she took aim from a short distance behind Naruto and Kormac. She was doing very well too, as she had her back to the broken bridge in the center so she wouldn't have to worry about enemies coming from behind, but she would have to keep an eye out for where she steps. Leoric noticed how swiftly Valla was taking out his archers so he summoned more minions to try and deal with her.

Naruto saw Leoric summon more of his forces and knew he had to engage him to at least keep him from reinforcing his army. By this time he had already killed off all the tomb guardians, who could also summon reinforcements, aside from the two champions who engaged Li-Ming and Nazeebo. He didn't want to give the Skeleton King any more time and wanted to keep his attention on him, but he wanted to make sure Kormac would be alright.

"Kormac! Will you be okay here? I need to keep Leoric busy so he can't summon more reinforcements."

"Yes! Go! I can handle these small fry."

"Good! Keep an eye out for Valla! Don't let these skeletal fighters get near her!"

"Yes sir! You can count on me!"

Kormac wasn't exactly sure where that came from, but being around Naruto, even if it has only been a short while, made him look to him as something of a superior officer. He knows that his mission is to fight for the Templar Order and spread their teachings, but hearing Naruto yell out a command to him made him react almost on instinct, as if it was something he should be used to. He didn't have the luxury to dwell on that thought any further as there were still more enemies to fight. He regained his focus and while defending himself he could see some of the other fights going on and couldn't help but be amazed at the skills of these warriors. He knew they were his betters when it came to battle as he knew these champions were even stronger than what Jondar had become as they each fought off one of their own, and Valla was doing her best to keep everyone covered.

' _I must get stronger if I want to continue to fight by these warriors' side. I will not allow myself to become a burden to their cause!'_

The enemy in front of Sonya was indeed formidable. The skeletal champion wielding the double-headed war ax knew how to handle its weapon and defend itself properly. No matter how hard she tried, she could not overpower her foe, but the same could be said for it as well; neither were landing any significant blows. Knowing this, she knew she would have to do something different to gain an opening. After another clash between their weapons, Sonya jumped back several feet away and used her fury to generate speed as she ran towards her foe in a Furious Charge. The skeletal champion didn't know what hit it as it was knocked back into the wall, stunned. She used this opening to enter her battle rage and used an ability she came to learn called Call of the Ancients, which summoned the three ancient warriors who were chosen to guard Mount Arreat before its fall; Talic, Korlic, and Madawc.

The spirits of these warriors answered Sonya's call and they all converged on the skeletal champion. Talic, wielding sword and shield, leaped at his enemy and used whirlwind, spinning all around the skeleton causing significant damage. Korlic, holding a massive polearm, also used furious charge and would swing his weapon in a wide arc to try and cleave his enemy. Madawc, clenching an ax in each hand, kept throwing axes at the skeleton while also using seismic slam to stagger it to give everyone more openings. Sonya joined the ancient barbarians swinging her two swords in a frenzy against the champion. There was nothing the ax wielding champion could do as all four barbarians surrounded it on four sides with none of them letting up their attacks. After taking a beating you could hear the bones breaking on the skeletal warrior as it was only a matter of time before it fell. Sensing this, Sonya gave a great yell as she summoned an avalanche of giant blocks of ice to rain down upon her enemy. As the ice blocks faded away they could see that their enemy was finally defeated and the three ancients gave a war cry as they faded away.

Johanna's enemy was not any easier as despite wielding a two handed sword, it did not seem to slow it down any as she was on the defensive since the start of their fight. Her shield was still strong enough to withstand its attacks but she knew her shield would take a fair bit of damage before the battle was over. Deciding to dodge the next swing of her enemy's sword instead of blocking, she rolled underneath the swing to get behind the champion and while on one knee she cast her Judgment spell against the skeletal warrior, which immobilized her attacker for some time giving her room to finally counter. She didn't waste this opportunity as she used all the wrath she held within her to unleash as much damage against the skeletal warrior as she could.

She first called down Heaven's Fury, which was a potent ray of holy power that engulfed her opponent, causing it to screech in pain as the holy light burned its evil presence. She then used Fist of the Heaven's to hurl a fist of holy power that pierced right through the skeletal champion forcing it to drop its sword as it fell to its knees since the holy onslaught against it became too much for the champion, influenced by the powers of hell. Gathering her strength, Johanna rushed forward while it was still down and swung her two headed flail downward and finally crushed her opponent as she was able to break through its skull and bones that became weakened from her holy attacks.

Li-Ming and Nazeebo continued to fight together since they could use their magics to better cover the other. Nazeebo was tasked with defending Li-Ming from the reinforcements of the tomb guardians as she wanted to take them on herself, much to his initial protest. But Li-Ming had wanted to test herself to see how far she had come and she convinced Nazeebo that his attacks were better suited for widespread damage while on the move. He reluctantly agreed but told her he would help her if he saw that she was in trouble. Nazeebo and his gargantuan then proceeded to make sure that the summoned reinforcements from Leoric and the tomb guardians stayed away from Li-Ming and her fight.

Nazeebo fought the minions by summoning explosive toads to deal heavy damage while his gargantuan moved forward to meet the enemy head on. He did not have any trouble dealing with these minions as the damage output of his attacks, like everyone else's, had increased significantly since they journeyed from Skovos. If any enemies came too close, he used his firebat ability to burn all those around him to ashes. His main concern was to keep an eye out for Li-Ming and when some of the minions went to converge on her he summoned a wall of zombies, he called the Wall of Death, that blocked their movement while simultaneously attacking the skeletal fighters.

Li-Ming had an interesting time with the two tomb guardians as she discovered that they could use an ability similar to her own, in that they could teleport a short distance away, to either try and escape her attacks or surprise her with one of their own. It wasn't too much of an annoyance for her as she already figured out that they had a short delay between teleports which was about fifteen seconds. Which should be more than enough time to trap at least one of them and finish it off. She continued to dodge their attacks while launching her own magic missiles but she knew they weren't going to be enough to stop them. She was waiting for the right moment because she began to see a pattern in their attacks so she remained patient.

The time soon came when she saw one of them disappear and she immediately cast her Slow Time spell on the tomb guardian she could see, stopping it in a bubble of warped time to keep it from attacking. Right after she cast that spell she prepared the next one, and when she felt the presence of the other tomb guardian appear behind her she unleashed a Frost Nova from her body that caught the champion spell caster off guard as it was frozen, but only for a short time. It was all the time she needed as she quickly turned around and used disintegrate at nearly point blank range aiming at the chest of her enemy. After several seconds, with the guardian screeching in pain, her disintegrate did its job, completely destroying the champion monster.

Her victory over one champion was not without cost as she held her spell for too long, injuring her hands as she clutched them to her chest to try and stave off the pain. Nazeebo saw this and knew she would be in trouble as her time spell was wearing off on the other guardian. He immediately sent a mental command to his gargantuan to move towards the other guardian and as soon as the time spell stopped he conjured an Acid Cloud over the tomb guardian as acid rain poured down upon it, causing much pain and damage to it. Nazeebo then used his voodoo to empower his gargantuan making it slightly bigger, faster and stronger as it finally reached the tomb guardian and relentlessly began to attack it in earnest. The tomb guardian, like other warriors that use magic as their primary weapon, was not durable enough to withstand the onslaught of the relentless giant and was soon defeated just like its counterpart.

During all these fights Valla was the main support with Kormac and Naruto acting as her support, until Naruto went after Leoric himself. Her attention was divided among all the major fights of her comrades using her crossbows to gun down any minions trying to interfere and aid the champions against their opponents. She managed to set up two of her sentries in front of her that were connected by a burning chain to act as another barrier to defend herself while they automatically fired bolts at all enemies around them.

While looking out for her friends, she noticed that Nazeebo was covering well enough for Li-Ming so she didn't have to worry too much about those two. However, watching Sonya and Johanna fight she saw that more minions were going to flank them to catch them off guard, but before they could get any closer she concentrated her hatred into her crossbows and unleashed a torrent of bolts in a rapid fire, whittling down the skeletal minions before they could interfere in their fights. She had to immediately stop after she finished them as the rapid fire technique quickly drained her of her energy. Valla then noticed that Nazeebo's gargantuan was carrying Li-Ming over to her position to get the wizard out of harms way after she injured her hands, and Nazeebo joined Kormac to keep fending off the few minions that were left.

"Are you going to be alright?"

"Yes, just held it a bit too long."

"Here, I'll use some of the salve Naruto gave us to numb the pain." Valla bent down to where Li-Ming was set down to help rub in some of the salve on her hands that Naruto had given each of them to use in emergencies in case he wasn't there.

"(sigh) Thank you. That feels much better now."

"Just take it easy. There aren't many enemies left and Naruto and the others should be done soon." Li-Ming nodded her head to Valla deciding to rest and watch the final fight between Naruto and Leoric.

As soon as Naruto left Kormac, he ran straight towards the Skeleton King and landed a heavy blow with his fist against his chest armor that knocked him back a few feet. Leoric was too preoccupied to see the attack coming as he watched his army being handled by these intruders, his previous grin fading into a snarl. The attack caught him off guard as he was nearly sent back onto his throne, as he turned to look to who would face him.

"You think you can challenge a King?!"

"Yup. Pretty much."

"You will learn your place."

Naruto couldn't help but want to banter a little with the Black King, as he replied with a snarky attitude. "You can try. I wasn't always the best student, but if you think you can teach me something, by all means. Teach me a lesson." He replied with a cocky smirk on his face and using his hands in 'bring it' gesture. He knew this fight wouldn't really register as a tough fight for him but he didn't want it to end too soon now that it was here.

With much anger, Leoric mightily swung his giant mace trying to take off Naruto's head but he ducked under it easily enough and came within Leoric's guard and landed more clean hits with his fists that made him stagger back. Leoric could feel the strength in the blows even as his armor shielded him, but when he looked down at said armor he could clearly see the indentations of his fists, indicating just how strong this human is. This just made the Skeleton King angrier so he charged at Naruto with speed as it looked like he was gliding across the floor. Naruto was ready for him but before he came in range of Naruto, Leoric disappeared right in front of him. Thanks to his awareness Naruto felt the moment the Skeleton King appeared right behind him and ducked beneath another swing of his mace. Naruto wasted no time as he placed his hands on the floor and hopped off his feet to launch a double mule kick using his arms for added momentum, sending Leoric crashing through some of his minions as he was sent to the ground.

Leoric immediately got up while swinging his mace and killing his own minions but he summoned more of his army with the command to attack Naruto. As the skeletal army slowly moved on Naruto, Sonya and Johanna came on either side of him ready to help defend him.

"Do you need assistance Naruto?" asked Sonya from his right side.

"Not really, but if you can still fight, don't let _me_ stop you."

"Didn't think you would, but as my master always told me, 'no rest for the weary.'" said Johanna from his left side.

Sonya and Johanna didn't want to be left out so they along with Naruto started mowing down the minions in front of them with relative ease. All the while Leoric kept his eyes trained on Naruto while channeling his energy into his weapon as the crown of his mace was engulfed in a green aura. Naruto noticed this and felt Leoric was preparing something big with his next attack and believed he should put an end to this before anyone is put in too much danger.

' _Anyone want to help me out with this?'_

' _Allow me, the Monkey King, to show this disgrace his_ true _place!'_

' _Alright Son Goku, let's do it! But remember, nothing too big alright. We're still underground.'_

' _I'll keep that in mind.'_

Just as Leoric was ready to launch his attack, Naruto made sure Sonya and Johanna were behind him as he built up Son Goku's chakra inside his throat ready to counter Leoric. The Skeleton King then launched a massive green ball of poison from his mace that was sent straight for Naruto. Naruto then released the built up chakra, spitting out a large torrent of green flames that engulfed everything in front of it. Son Goku's Monkey Flame Arson technique turned all the skeletal minions to ashes as it overpowered and burned up the poison bomb and lastly set King Leoric aflame as well. After a small explosion with Leoric being the epicenter, he stumbled out of the smoke and flames that engulfed him, not believing he could be defeated like this.

"NO! YOU CANNOT DEFEAT ME! I… AM THE SKELETON **KING**!"

"No one ever said a king's reign lasts forever."

They all looked on as the green flames continued to eat away at the Skeleton King as he dropped his mace and collapsed forward onto his chest. After a few more moments his entire body was nothing more than ashes leaving behind his burnt armor as the flames started to fade away. Everyone looked on as the last traces of the Skeleton King burnt away, glad that the fighting was done for now. Naruto walked over to the fallen king and picked up his giant mace, figuring he shouldn't let it go to waste, and sealed it away in a scroll. The silence of the tomb was broken by Kormac's joyous laughter, witnessing another great victory by his new comrades.

"Hahaha! I'll be telling stories about _that_ for a while! You beat that monster like it was nothing, and in one move! Definitely a victory worth praise!"

"You did good too Kormac. I saw that nothing even came close to Valla, good job."

"Thank you sir! But I can't take all the credit, I doubt she even needed me."

"Regardless, everybody did good today. We've been running around these halls for hours and you all still fought with everything you had. Is everyone alright? Not too hurt are we?"

Valla saw that Li-Ming wasn't going to speak up about her hands so she did it for her.

"Li-Ming's hands could use some help."

Naruto looked toward Li-Ming with concern, having failed to notice her injury sooner, and Li-Ming looked to Valla a little annoyed at being ratted out but she still tried to cover it up.

"It's nothing, they aren't that bad. I can handle it."

"Let me see."

She wanted to refuse further but the way he looked at her, she knew she couldn't hide it or keep him from pestering her more about it. Naruto looked at her hands and could see some blisters on the back of her hands and her palms were still red.

"You shouldn't hide something like this Li-Ming, this looks pretty bad."

"It's been worse before. And that salve is keeping them numb for now."

"I guess that's true. So, you were able to use it?"

Li-Ming had a smile on her face as she answered him. "I was. It was the longest I was able to hold it without immediate damage, and I was able to kill that champion with it. Even if it took a little longer than I anticipated."

"Well I'm glad you're on your way to mastering that spell, and it didn't cause too much damage. Congrats Li-Ming!"

"What, not going to lecture me for being reckless?"

"If you were fighting alone I would, but you _weren't_ fighting alone. Nazeebo had your back, just like any one of us would have, just like I know you would do the same for us Li-Ming. We're all doing this together, and even if it's just me, I'd like to think that our bonds have grown stronger ever since we've started. Kind of like a family almost."

"I can agree to that." said Johanna.

"Hear, hear!" agreed Sonya.

"I couldn't agree more my friend." said Nazeebo.

"I… suppose, you have a point." said Valla, although a bit reluctantly.

"I guess you're right. For once at least." Li-Ming said with a teasing grin.

"Real funny."

"(gasp) This… display of camaraderie, is so beautiful. It is a true honor to fight by your side!" exclaimed Kormac.

"Are you crying?"

"Forgive me! I can't help myself!"

Deciding to ignore the crying Templar, Naruto moved on. "Okay, does anyone else need healing, or maybe I should just heal everyone anyway?"

"Thanks, but no thanks Naruto. I don't really have any injuries that would need immediate attention and I think I'd rather keep my fatigue for myself this time. It's sure to keep me asleep like a newborn babe tonight."

"Haha! A great deduction Johanna. I too wish to sleep like the great Kodiaks during their hibernation. I could use a deep sleep once we're done here." said Sonya.

Everyone else seemed to be in agreement as they didn't really require healing aside from Li-Ming, and Valla was never even touched during the final battle in Leoric's tomb. So Li-Ming was the only one Naruto needed to heal.

"Okay, so while I heal up Li-Ming, why don't you guys look for the exit to this place or something. The fallen star shouldn't be too far from here right? There's got to be a next level below this somewhere where it should have landed."

The others agreed and moved around the tomb to try and find any kind of entryway that would lead them to the fallen star, the main objective of their current mission.

Naruto put up his barrier once again to shield himself from the negative emotions that engulf Sanctuary, that would consume him while in Sixth Paths Sage mode. He stood in font of Li-Ming and took her hands into his to heal them. While he did this, Li-Ming stood still to allow him to concentrate but she couldn't help but think about how used to his presence in this form she has become.

The first time she felt this power up close was all the way back in the Tribe of the Clouded Valley when he healed Zunimassa, and back then she couldn't even move. But now she could still feel his power but it isn't overwhelming to her anymore. It never felt malicious in any way but it always made her wary, because she couldn't compare his power to anything or anyone else. It was frightening. But if she so wished she knows she could move freely within his presence now without fear or hesitation. She can now see why people like Zunimassa, Nazeebo, Johanna and even Queen Celestia believe that he would become the cornerstone in Sanctuary's future. She herself is starting to see what they see, and she knows for sure that she won't be leaving his side anytime soon.

"Yo, you alright there? Haha, _you're_ usually the one who catches _me_ spacing out, not the other way around."

Li-Ming was caught off guard by Naruto's words as she looked up into the natural blue pools of Naruto's eyes, as he had dropped his sage mode, realizing that he already finished healing her hands, but she could still feel the warmth of his palms underneath her own. "Oh. Yes, I'm fine, just thinking a bit."

"Well don't think about it too hard, you're the quick thinker around here. Can't afford to let you get distracted too much like I do." Naruto said with a big grin, but then indicated to her hands that he was still holding. "Now let's make sure you're really okay." Naruto then moved her hands around while looking for any sign that they weren't healed properly. "Everything looks good. How do they feel? Anymore pain?"

Li-Ming looked to her hands and closed them into fists a few times to see for herself. "No, they feel perfectly fine."

"Good! As long as you're okay."

"… Thank you Naruto."

"Don't mention it."

' _That's not_ _the only thing_ _I am_ _grateful_ _for.'_

"Any luck on finding anything you guys?"

"I am afraid not. If there is an exit here it must be hidden from us." said Nazeebo.

"Well, crap. I don't want to have to backtrack from here. Maybe I should've just jumped all the way down into one of those holes before."

"It's too late to think of that now, we _must_ be close." said Valla.

While they were thinking of what they should do, Naruto went to sit on Leoric's throne to try and think of something himself.

"For having his dead bony ass sitting in this thing for so long, this throne is still comfy."

"Well if I had to take a guess I would say that the exit would most likely have to be behind the…" Li-Ming's words were abruptly interrupted.

"Whoa! What the?! Ahh!"

They all turned to see that Naruto was no longer where they last saw him as his yells and body tumbling down could be heard and the throne's seat had opened up revealing the hidden exit.

"throne."

"… I found it!~ And I'm okay! I know how worried you all must be!"

""Idiot."" All the women of their group just couldn't help themselves, knowing how much trouble their eccentric ally can be. They didn't waste any more time and went to follow through the exit beneath Leoric's throne where they found Naruto waiting for them.

"The energy down here is extremely potent, as I'm sure you can all feel for yourselves. So this fallen star should be just up ahead."

They all agreed, and could see that the blue glow that covered all the holes that were made in the cathedral was even brighter down here. They didn't have to go far as they could see the crater at the bottom of another set of stairs but could not believe what they saw inside the crater. It was a man, or at least what looked like one. He was no normal man to have survived a fall like that, and the energy they could feel from him was also something they couldn't totally describe as being human. It even reminded them of how Naruto's power felt but still different all the same.

"I was not expecting this." Naruto said as they all reached the bottom surrounding the fallen man as he lay there unconscious.

"I do not believe any of us could expect something like this." said Sonya.

"Hmm. Wow, he doesn't really look hurt at all. With a fall like that you would think at least some broken bones or scrapes, but not even his clothes look torn or burned, since he _was_ on fire when we saw him fall."

"He must have shielded himself with his own power, but all that effort it must have taken probably drained him, so he is likely only exhausted." said Li-Ming.

"Well, I guess we have to take him with us right?"

"Yes, Deckard Cain believes the fallen star to be of great importance. So we cannot allow this man to fall in the wrong hands." said Valla.

Naruto agreed and bent down to pick up the mysterious man, as it did not look like he would be awakening any time soon.

"Alright then, bring it in everybody. GROUP HUG!"

"What?"

"Don't listen to him Kormac. Just put one of your hands on him so we can get out of here."

"Always ruining my fun Valla. I wanted to see if he would do it!"

"I am afraid I don't follow. Why must we place a hand on his person?"

"It's a technique of his that allows him to travel instantaneously. We can all be taken with him but we must be in contact with his body in order for it to work. The rest of us know of this and have seen him do it, but you would be the only one that wouldn't know about it." explained Valla.

"Spoilsport." Ignoring Naruto's grumblings, they all placed a hand on his body and they were immediately inside the town square of New Tristram.

"What?! What kind of sorcery is this?!" yelled out Kormac.

"That, will take some getting used to." said Johanna.

"Agreed." said Sonya.

"That wasn't so bad." said Li-Ming.

They all regained their bearings, glad to be out of the cathedral and back to the open air. Being underground for so long they had no idea what time it actually was and as they could see the sky showing minor traces of light they realized dawn would be coming within the hour or two.

"Anyone else ready for bed?"

Everyone agreed with Naruto as the adrenaline from fighting all night and finally discovering the fallen star wore off, they could feel their bodies begging them for some respite. The others made their way down the bunker to their rooms and Naruto turned to Kormac as he wasn't sure where to go.

"Come on Kormac. I'll make a room for you and our _fallen star_ here to rest."

"Thank you. It certainly has been a long night."

"Don't worry about it Kormac. If you want to stay with us we'll make sure you're taken care of."

"You are too kind sir."

* * *

The next few days were pretty dull compared to what they had to go through in the cathedral. The man in the crater was still unconscious inside his own room and everyone shared the responsibility of watching over him from time to time. Leah and her uncle were rightfully shocked to discover that the fallen star was a man, and Cain spent the majority of his time searching through his Horadric texts to learn what it all meant.

Since all their group was inside the town walls these past few days, Naruto dispelled his clones knowing they wouldn't be needed anymore to protect the village and to conserve his chakra. Everyone also used their time to help the villagers around the town. Nazeebo performed a beautiful ritual for the deceased villagers when they laid them to rest within the cemetery, and Johanna placed a blessing on their graves to ensure they could not be awoken to become the undead. Li-Ming once again used her advanced knowledge to help further the education of the young children in town, much to their protest and their parent's thanks. Sonya and Kormac along with several of Naruto's clones helped to clear the undead corpses and repair the houses outside the town walls, as many of the villagers wanted to return to their homes. Naruto and Valla even went out to hunt, with Valla taking down a couple more savage beasts and Naruto helping to carry them back to town.

During this time of reprieve, Haedrig was also busy with repairing the weapons and armors of their group making their armors stronger and weapons more durable. His wife Mira also seemed to be getting back to her usual cheerful self as the days passed, and nothing unfortunate happening to them. The three widows, Alden, Corliss, and Mildred were doing their part around town, as well as taking time to look after the two orphans. Naruto noticed that they didn't seem to be ready to give him an answer to his proposal just yet but they weren't leaving town anytime soon, so he wouldn't broach the subject with them until they were ready. Leah helped her uncle from time to time with his research but she also took it upon herself to help anyone who needed it; including cooking food, helping Li-Ming with the children's studies, random chores around the village, and even sharing time on the lookout towers to relieve the few militia still left.

Right now it was the beginning of the afternoon and there was a lull in the chores to do around the village, but Cain was still busy with his research and Leah was spending her time looking after the unconscious man in Naruto's bunker. Naruto and his group were in the tavern at the Slaughtered Calf Inn, just resting with some idle conversation, or indulging in a drink or two in the case of Naruto, Li-Ming, Valla, and Sonya, but they all knew better than to overindulge, especially at a time like this. Nazeebo preferred not to drink and Johanna and Kormac were religious zealots who believed alcohol was only reserved for special occasions, but they still participated in the conversations and story telling. Sonya's current story was interrupted when one of the militia that was on lookout duty burst into the inn, panic marring his face.

"N-Naruto, sir!"

"Just call me Naruto."

"Y-yes sir!"

"(sigh) Well, what's going on?"

"Um, I'm not quite sure if it's trouble or not, but there is a group coming towards the gates."

"Uh-huh?"

"Well, there is a creature with them that looks dangerous. W-we thought you should know. We don't know if they are hostile or not."

"Hmm… Okay then. Well, I'll go have a look-see."

"Should we come with you?" asked Sonya.

"No, all of us showing up would just make it seem like _we're_ the hostile ones. I don't feel any malevolence coming our way, but one does have a darker aura around them, and the others feel quite bright if I had to say. So I'm sure there will be no trouble."

"Allow me to accompany you. Surely one of us should be there to aid you in case of any deceptions." said Kormac.

"I guess another person won't hurt. Just be cool Kormac, and let me do the talking."

"Yes sir!" Exclaimed Kormac, giving a salute to Naruto.

"You too! Quit it with the sir already!"

"Yes sir!"

"Argh!"

"Oh! Oops, sorry about that."

"(sigh) Let's just go."

Naruto and Kormac left the inn and headed to the front gates just in time to meet the three people stopping in front of the gates to New Tristram. There were two men on either side of a very large wooden carriage, elaborately decorated in various purple cloths being pulled by a duo of gray Belgian draft horses, with thick black fur around their hooves and mane, whose heads reached over eight feet tall. Riding on the front seat of the carriage was an older woman, but Naruto could tell that she still had plenty of life in her if her big smile was anything to go by. She was a little on the thick side but she was proud of her body and made it work for her. She had light gray colored hair held up by a purple cloth tied into a golden band across her forehead and garbed in purple clothes. She was… buxom to say the least, and not afraid to flaunt it as her purple and white trimmed corset highlighted her natural features very prominently. Naruto wouldn't really have to worry about Kormac talking any time soon as he was too red-faced and tongue tied by the woman's natural 'charms,' much to her own amusement, she thought it was cute.

The two men on either side of her carriage couldn't be further apart in both appearance and nature; it was quite the pair they made. The man on the right side of the two horses and carriage had a completely shaved head with a great thick black beard and mustache with two red dots running up vertically in the middle of his forehead, most likely a religious marking. He wore an orange hooded robe top with cloth hanging down his front and back leaving his brown pants to be seen and large wooden beads hanging around his neck. Naruto could tell the man was most likely a Monk from Ivgorod as he noticed he looked and felt similar in nature to the female monk who participated in the games on Skovos. He could also tell that he was a hand to hand specialist with his body's build and the way he carried himself, and the two weapons hanging from the sash around his waist were also a pretty big give away as to how he fought. Both of his weapons were specialty close range weapons used in hand to hand combat, not something many people can use. One was golden with two curved blades that arched up at the top (Rabid Strike), the other was bronze in the shape of a dome and covered in spikes that would completely encase his fist (The Fist of Az'Turrasq).

The other man on the left side of the horses and carriage was the one Naruto had felt had the dark aura around him, but it didn't mean that he was an evil person or meant them any harm, at least that's what his instincts told him. He had straight, stark white hair reaching down to his shoulders with a matching colored goatee. He had an angular face with high cheek bones and he also had a strong build, but his skin tone was very pale in comparison to his two fellow travelers. He wore an open and sleeveless brown high collared jacket and pants with steel boots and gauntlets. The one handed weapon hanging from his waist briefly reminded Naruto of the Akatsuki member Hidan as it was a completely red scythe whose handle looked to be made of bone with a cloth wrap going down the handle and the blade itself looked like it was melted, but Naruto could somehow tell that it didn't make it any less deadly (Trag'Oul's Corroded Fang). He also had another item hanging from his waist that made Naruto think it was something similar to Li-Ming's orb or Nazeebo's mojo; it was an hour glass with a green liquid inside of it and had metal skull and bone designs framing it (Lost Time).

Now, the reason why the guard came to Naruto in a panic was due to the creature standing next to the pale man with the scythe. A normal person would have noticed this deadly looking creature first before anything else, but Naruto knew where the real danger would come from if it turned into a fight, so he took notice of this creature last. And Kormac, well, he noticed the woman first, fearing she may be in distress, but then he got… distracted.

This creature was definitely disturbing to look at. It is large and tall, maybe just a head shorter than Nazeebo's gargantuan. The simplest way to describe it would be if some poor soul was turned inside out. Its body is covered in large thick muscle with sharp claws on its hands and feet. You could see its ribcage from the front and its spine from the back, and it looks to have one large pulsing organ starting on its front over where its heart would be and nearly covering its back. The head of this creature is a normal looking skull with no skin, muscle, or eyes to take note of. It is also covered in blood and has sharp bones sticking out of its forearms and two large bones and two smaller ones that look to be spines sticking out of its back. Naruto was glad Kimimaro didn't look like this when he briefly fought him; otherwise he might have just ran away. After taking quick note of the people and creature before him, Naruto made to greet them.

"Hello there! Welcome to New Tristram!"

"Oh my, how lovely! A welcoming party by two very handsome and _vigorous_ looking young men all for Myriam. It must be my lucky day! We should celebrate!"

"Enough of your celebrating."

"Xul, sweetheart! Did Myriam make you jealous? You know I will always make time for my two favorite saviors, or do you want Myriam all for yourself? Is that it?"

"(sigh)"

"She's a hoot huh?" Naruto said to the Monk.

"She is… a lively one, most certainly."

"Haha! Oh Kharazim, you always know just how to make me smile."

"So uh, you guys just passing through? Or do you need a place to take a break and lodge tonight?"

"No. We are hear in search of the fallen star. It is by the will of the patriarchs that I come to this town."

"Yes, my master heard word of the fallen star landing here in the west. I am here to ensure that the great cycle of being is upheld."

"Well what do you know? You guys are here for that too huh? Well, you're a little late, or maybe we were just really early? Whatever. We already retrieved the fallen star and he's still out cold so… we're just waiting for him to wake up."

"What do you mean 'he'?" said Xul.

"Yeah, crazy right? Turns out it was a guy who fell out of the sky. He crashed through the cathedral, woke the dead, woke the Skeleton King, and that was six days ago already! And he's still out like a light! The nerve of this guy!"

"Is what you speak of true?" asked Kharazim.

"Completely. Go ahead, tell him Kormac." Naruto said as he roughly patted Kormac on the back finally breaking him out of his daze.

"What? Huh?"

"Tell him about the guy we found at the bottom of the cathedral. They need more convincing."

"Oh, yes! He is correct, it was a man we found after we fought off the Skeleton King and his minions. He has yet to awaken, but he is within the safety of the town walls. With us and our comrades here, no evil dares venture near this town."

"How marvelous! To think the fallen star was a man this whole time. He must be quite _sturdy_ to have survived such a thing. Myriam would love to meet him."

"Yeah, the rest of us can't wait either. If you guys want to stay and help us out with whatever comes next, I'm sure we can make some space for you to stay."

"That would be appreciated. The Priests of Rathma sense a shift in the balance. If it is not corrected, then all will be lost. This is not a mission I can turn away from." said Xul.

"It is the same for me. The gods call to me, and I will answer their call." said Kharazim.

"Cool! Well, glad to have you guys join us. I'm Naruto Uzumaki, and this guy next to me is Kormac. I think I got your names. You are Myriam right?"

"Yes darling, how sweet of you to remember. Myriam Jahzia to be exact, mystic extraordinaire! _Very_ pleased to be of service to you."

"Haha! Yeah… Thanks." Naruto gave a nervous chuckle while rubbing the back of his head, due to her suggestive way of speaking.

"I am Xul, Master Necromancer of the Priests of Rathma."

"I am Kharazim. Monk of Ivgorod."

"Nice to meet you all! I'm sure we'll get along just great. We'll introduce you to the others waiting inside the town."

"How grand! Meeting so many new friends! We should definitely celebrate!"

"Haha! Well we kind of already got started back at the inn. Some of us had a couple of drinks."

"Wonderful! If we run out, I brought some of my own!"

"Well I don't think we should get too crazy." Naruto said trying to slow the woman down.

"Nonsense! Myriam will show you how to properly celebrate!"

' _This lady is crazy! Things might get out of hand with her around.'_ Naruto thought to himself as they began to make their way inside the town, but before they got too far he stopped Xul for a moment.

"Hey there. Uh, this guy is with _you_ right?" Naruto indicated towards the creature that walked beside the necromancer.

"Yes. Is there a problem?"

"Um, is there any way you could maybe, dismiss him or something?"

"Why?" asked the necromancer with an edge to his voice.

"Well, we got a bunch of children around the town and I don't want them getting freaked out by your friend here. I'm sure even most of the adults would start to panic too. I mean the reason the guards came and got me was because they saw this guy, but you can't really blame them for being jumpy, especially with all that's happened to this town recently."

"Hmm… I suppose, you have a point." The creature standing right next to the man facing Naruto let out an angry growl in Naruto's face as spittle flew out and hit him. "I don't think he likes that idea though."

"Hey! Say it, don't spray it buddy! It's not my fault you're freaking scary looking!" The creature just let out an angrier roar in his face nearly covering him in spit. "You wanna go! I'll mess you up!"

Before any brawl between Naruto and the hulking creature could ensue, Xul dismissed his summons into a portal from the ground that slowly swallowed the deadly creature, all the while it kept looking and roaring at Naruto.

"Interesting, he's never behaved that way before." Xul said to himself as he walked away following the others into town, and leaving Naruto alone to wipe the spit off his face.

' _What's that thing's problem?!'_

' _Hahaha! I just don't think it likes you.'_ said Kurama.

' _What! What's not to like?! I'm awesome!'_

' _Only in your own world are you awesome.'_

' _Shut up furball! I was just thinking of the children! Can you blame me?!'_

' _No, but that creature definitely can, but forget that thing. You felt it didn't you?'_

' _You mean the lack of feeling right?'_

' _Right. That man felt like nothing. He may perhaps practice this dark magic, but it doesn't consume him.'_

' _Yeah. He's even more complicated than Valla. I felt a little bit of annoyance from him but that's not much to go on. Reminds me of how Sai once was. It's kind of scary when I think about it.'_

' _Do you think he will be a danger, Naruto-san?' asked Kokuo._

' _Not really. It just might be hard for me to work with him. Don't really like the thought of necromancy, but I don't think he's a bad person.'_

' _You'll just have to get to know him better to understand him. Learn his beliefs and what he fights for.'_

' _Yup! That's what making new friends is all about right! That Myriam lady seems like fun, maybe_ too _much fun. And I can probably get some good hand-to-hand practice with Kharazim. The more the merrier, right?! Now, all we need is for that guy to wake the hell up already!'_

"Naruto! He's awake, the man who you found, he woke up just now!" Leah exclaimed as she ran up to Naruto as the guards told her he was at the gates.

"Huh, ask and you shall receive."

"What?"

"Nothing. Come on Leah! Let's find out what his story is."


	10. Chapter 10

AN: Season's greetings and all that stuff. New chapter ready for you. Don't have much else to say about it, but it's funny that a day after I posted chapter nine I realized that I was just a day away from the one year anniversary of this story, so here's to that.

Also, I just wanted to let you know that I am working on another story that will be a crossover with the same Naruto from this universe and One Piece. But don't worry, it won't be nearly as in depth as this one is and it won't take priority over Sage of Sanctuary. I don't even plan for it to be that long, just a few chapters throwing Naruto into a couple of arcs that I couldn't get out of my head. One Piece is honestly a plot nightmare for me, there is so much lore surrounding One Piece, and most of it is unknown as far as I know (it's actually been a while since I have seen One Piece, so I will be using old arcs obviously), and I don't have the mental fortitude to try and tie everything together. It will be a short, open ended story and a quick romance with Naruto probably being more OP then he should be, maybe. I hope it will be as fun as I think it will be.

Well, I hope you enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 10

Naruto, Li-Ming, Leah, and Cain were all gathered in the bunker around the man who they found in the crater at the bottom of the cathedral. Naruto and Leah had told everyone else that he had awoken after Naruto introduced everyone to the three newcomers, but they agreed that being surrounded by so many people at once would probably be a bit overwhelming for the stranger. So they all agreed to allow, arguably the three most intelligent and knowledgeable people in Li-Ming, Leah and Cain, and Naruto, the unspoken leader of their group, to listen to what he has to say. Kharazim and Xul did not bother to protest this decision as they were not the ones to help in retrieving the fallen star, so they just waited along with everyone else for what news they would bring.

Leah handed the tanned man, still dressed in his green robe, a glass of water, as he sat up on the bed he had been sleeping on for the past six days. He appreciated the gesture as his throat was dry and he very much enjoyed the cool soothing feeling the water gave him, almost like it was the first time he had ever had something to drink before.

"(sigh) Thank you. What is this? I've never had anything like it before." Everyone looked at him strangely, thinking what kind of question that could be, but Leah was the one to voice their thoughts.

"Uh… it's water. You've never had water before?"

"Not that I can remember."

Li-Ming and Naruto both internally groaned at this. Dealing with an amnesiac was not something they really wanted to handle right now, but neither could blame the man or really do anything about it. But how can someone forget about water? Cain however did not share in their lamentations and wanted to quickly discover anything he could about this man, regardless of what little information he could provide. Any piece of information that he could get was good enough for Deckard Cain.

"Do you know who you are? Is there _anything_ you can tell us?"

"I… I remember falling."

"Yeah, you fell alright. You were on fire and everything. You threw all the wildlife in a frenzy and you woke up the dead too."

"Naruto!" Leah didn't like Naruto's bluntness but before she could continue further the man spoke again.

"I am _not_ your enemy."

Naruto realized how his words probably sounded to the man and made to apologize. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sound accusing or anything. I don't blame you for what happened. You were unconscious the whole time your powers were running rampant, so it's not your fault. I can tell that you're not evil."

"Thank you, it was not my intention for any of those things to happen."

"Is there anything else you can tell us? Can you recall anything about who you are?" asked Li-Ming.

"I am… a warrior." The man held his head in pain as he tried to remember anything else. Leah was about to tell him to rest some more before they try again later but he seemed to remember something else. "I believe, I have come with a warning. The darkness… the darkness is coming. I must… I don't remember." Before the man could hurt himself anymore by thinking too much Naruto made to distract him with an observation he made.

"You said you were a warrior right?"

The man looked up at Naruto not knowing why he needed to know this, as the others looked on in confusion as well. "Yes, I believe that I am."

"Where are you going with this Naruto? Many people become warriors in order to survive, so him being one isn't all that of a surprise." Naruto didn't bother to answer Li-Ming's question but instead asked one more of his own to the amnesiac man.

"Where is your weapon?"

That simple question seemed to ignite a light in the man's eyes as they widened slightly. His weapon, it's something he should definitely remember. He used it all the time in battle, it was always by his side. He looked at his hands, placing them in a grip with one on top of the other as if he was holding it.

"My… sword. Yes, I carried a sword with me. Always with me… a part of me." It looked like he remembered something else as he continued. "It… it shattered into three pieces as I fell. It is a sword of immense power. It… it is the embodiment of my will. I _must_ retrieve my sword." The man held his head in pain again as this was all too much for him to handle right now, and Leah put a hand on his shoulder to push him back down on his bed.

"You should rest for now. We can think on what we can do to help you." The stranger took her advice and laid back down as the four of them left the room and entered the hallway.

"How did you know asking about his weapon would jog his memory?" asked Li-Ming.

"Well, I've noticed how all of you take pretty good care of your weapons or focuses, like your orb and Nazeebo's mojo. Sonya and Johanna's weapons and shield might get more beat up but you can't really blame them for that. Even so, they make sure they're properly cared for. And I noticed much of Valla's supplies include a lot of cleaning and maintenance tools for her crossbows. I pretty much noticed the same thing with all the warriors I've seen, from the Umbaru to the Askari and the others who participated in the Skovos Games. So I just figured he'd probably be the same and his weapon would be something important to him."

"I see, that's pretty good thinking for you Naruto."

"You are _so kind_ Li-Ming."

"Haha! Of course I am. You better be grateful."

"Uncle? Is there something on your mind?"

"Naruto brings up a good point. The stranger said his sword is the embodiment of his will. His sword… just may be the key to unlocking his memory, those pieces _must_ be found. It is vital that we know the message he has come to give us. The future of Sanctuary depends on it!"

"But how do we know where to look for them uncle?"

"I think it's time I call in the scouts again." said Naruto.

Everyone was a little confused by that but Li-Ming was the first to realize what he meant. "You mean the withermoths?"

"That's right. They could probably let me know if there is anything of note in the surrounding areas."

"I suppose that's worth a shot." said Li-Ming.

"I'm on it! I'm gonna go into the Weeping Hollow and make contact there. I don't want to cause a fuss in the middle of town. Why don't you let the others know what's going on and that we most likely have to move out again soon, Li-Ming."

"Okay, I'll let them know."

* * *

Naruto came back to the town square after about fifteen minutes where everyone was waiting for what news he would bring. Li-Ming along with Leah had already explained to the others the discussion they had with the stranger and were now just waiting for Naruto.

"How goes it Naruto? What news do you bring?" said Sonya.

"Not a whole lot I'm afraid, but we may have a lead on where one of the sword shards is located. My withermoth friends tell me that there is a potent energy coming from the plains west of the cemetery. It has caused some of them to act aggressively when they come into a certain distance, so they are avoiding that area for now."

"I see. If the sword shards are really connected to his power then the energy coming from the shard is making the wildlife and any other demons in the area more aggravated just like when he first fell into the cathedral." said Li-Ming.

"That's what I'm thinking. So it's probably our best shot for now." Naruto then turned to Leah and held out the handle of one of his Hiraishin kunai as he held the bladed end. "Here Leah, I want you to hold on to this."

"I'm not really a knife fighter Naruto."

"Haha, I know. This is a Hiraishin kunai that will let me travel to it instantaneously. If there is trouble in the town that the militia can't handle, all you have to do is throw it or channel some of your energy into it and I'll feel the pull letting me know you need me."

"Oh, okay. I can't really control my energies very well but I'll definitely use this if we're in trouble."

"Good, there really shouldn't be anything too dangerous nearby since we took care of most of it, but it's just a precaution."

"Thank you. You all stay safe out there."

There was nothing else to say and they were all prepared, so the group of nine bid Leah farewell and made their way into the Weeping Hollow and into the cemetery to pass through its west gate. They crossed another roofed bridge over the river and stood at the entrance of the fields. These were some of the farmlands that surrounded New Tristram and as Naruto realized this, he grew concerned that he never sent out any clones or went out himself to scout this far. He didn't know there were other farmers and likely their families out here, and it had already been a week since this whole thing started. Li-Ming saw the concern on his face and wanted to know what was bothering him.

"What's wrong Naruto?"

"I… didn't know there could have been more people out here. I should have scouted further out into surrounding areas. If this place is just as bad as it was a week ago then these families are most likely dead. I should ha…"

"Stop it! You didn't know there were farmers out here, none of us did. You can't take the blame for everything that happens here Naruto. Valla told you once already didn't she? You can't save everyone out there. You are just one man, and it isn't fair to you to place such a heavy burden on yourself."

For a moment Naruto swore he saw an image of Hinata behind Li-Ming with the same expression of concern mixed with a strictness that she came to develop during their growing relationship, especially after she became a mother. Naruto stared straight at Li-Ming and knew she was right and was glad she was there to pull him out of his depressing thoughts.

"I'm sorry. You're right Li-Ming."

"Of course I am. And besides, just because it has been a week already doesn't mean there still can't be survivors. We won't know until we check these farmhouses and see what we find."

"She is correct again my friend. Do not lose hope. I have come to learn that people can become very resilient during times of great peril."

Naruto gave them a big grin showing he was getting back to his usual self from their words. "Thanks Nazeebo, and thank you Li-Ming. I needed that."

"You are most welcome."

"Just don't let it happen again."

"Haha, whatever you say Li-Ming."

"So what now Naruto? How do you wish to proceed?" said Johanna.

Naruto turned to look at the area they were in and could tell there would be a lot of ground to cover. "It's probably best if we split up again. There's nine of us so groups of three should be okay. I'll head out with our two new allies since I can probably adapt quicker to their styles of fighting, and the rest of you can already work well enough with each other that it shouldn't be a problem."

"That sounds reasonable I suppose. Johanna, Nazeebo. Would you care to join me?" said Valla.

""I would be honored/delighted.""

"Then that leaves us three together." said Sonya looking at Li-Ming and Kormac.

"It sure does. Let's get started."

"Right! I will do my best not to slow you ladies down."

The others started walking away as Naruto turned to his two companions, Kharazim and Xul. "You guys ready? Let's show'em we're gonna be the best team there is! The mighty men team! Boys rule, girls drool! Oof!" Naruto was suddenly pelted with a large wad of snow as he was planted into the ground courtesy of Li-Ming as they heard her yell.

"Shut up Naruto!" The other women of their group were about retaliate as well but Li-Ming beat them to it and laughed as they saw Naruto covered in snow and face first into the dirt but continued on their way.

"Are you alright there?" said Kharazim as he and Xul looked down at Naruto still in the dirt.

"I'm good."

"I would like to say from what little experience I have, it is usually unwise to antagonize women in general, let alone such capable warriors as them."

Naruto suddenly stood straight up on his feet but he still had a grin on his face. "Hehe, I know. I just like messing with them sometimes. And I wanted to lighten the mood that I had created earlier. Sorry about that, by the way."

"No need to apologize. You have a big heart, but that may only make your pain more severe."

"You're right, but that's not something I can change about myself, nor would I want to either."

"Shouldn't we be moving now." said Xul as he waited patiently for them to finish but felt it was time to move on.

"Right, let's move out."

All three groups spread out to cover more ground to try and find where the sword shard had landed. These farmlands were surrounded by trees and dense shrubbery so there was a boundary that they didn't need to go beyond, which made things a little easier. Li-Ming, Sonya and Kormac went along the left side of the fields and Nazeebo, Valla and Johanna went down the center, leaving Naruto, Kharazim and Xul to go up along the right side.

There weren't really too many enemies to deal with, but just more of the same monsters they had to fight before. Being mostly goatmen, quill fiends, carrion bats, and scavengers. None of these enemies really proved to be difficult so they all had no problems fighting against them, and there weren't any champions among them that could give them some trouble. There were however some savage beasts roaming about but they still did not prove to be too much of a problem.

* * *

Li-Ming and her group moved along their side, fighting off various creatures, with Kormac and Sonya taking the lead, when they came upon one of the farmhouses that were built here. The majority of the crops were ruined, having been trampled or eaten by the aggravated wildlife. Some of the walls of the house were damaged, as one section looked to be rammed through by a savage beast. Before they entered to look for any survivors, they made sure to clear out the surrounding area so as not to be caught off guard.

Kormac, being the chivalrous Templar that he is, opted to enter the house first with his shield and spear at the ready in case there were any enemies inside. Li-Ming and Sonya followed right after him but the house was completely silent indicating there were at least no animals or demons inside; since they probably wouldn't really bother to use stealth in an aggravated state. They searched the whole house including the upstairs but they found nothing and moved back outside. Li-Ming looked a little dejected that they didn't find anybody, worried how Naruto would take the news.

"I hope I didn't speak too soon earlier."

"Fret not Li-Ming. We may not have found anyone but we also did not find their corpses either. There is still a chance they have survived, but are in a different area."

"You're right Sonya. Let us continue."

* * *

Valla, along with her two companions, went down the middle of the fields and they had a bit more to deal with compared to the other two groups but they still handled themselves without sustaining any serious injuries. Nazeebo's gargantuan and Johanna took up the front line fighting as himself and Valla engaged from a distance. Their group also came upon a farmhouse but this one was much smaller as the owners looked to only grow pumpkins with small pumpkin patches surrounding the house. As they approached the small farm they could immediately feel the movement from underground as dozens of scavengers started popping up beneath them and attacking.

The three warriors and deadly creature defeated their attackers after some time as they continued to come out of the ground until finally they were the last ones standing. Their skirmish seemed to have alerted a survivor as a man poked his head out from the cellar door from beneath his house as he came out to see the scavengers have been killed by these warriors.

"Thank goodness! Those scavengers kept my poor wife and I trapped down there for days! Please, come in! I'm sure she'd love to meet you and thank you for your help."

The three followed the man down into his cellar, leaving behind the gargantuan to keep a look out, wanting to make sure they were really okay. They were not prepared for the scene that met them as they stood in shock, not quite believing what they see. The man leading them was oblivious to their reactions as he kept talking and approached his wife.

"My love! These are the people who saved our farm. Say hello!" What had the three in such a stupor, was the fact that the man's wife was a desiccated corpse sitting in a rocking chair as it slowly rocked back and forth. There was really nothing they could say, but as the chair rocked forth once more, her head proceeded to fall off her shoulders and roll onto the ground by her husband's feet. "Oh, she's nodded off."

"Oh my." said Johanna.

"Please, make yourselves at home, I'll brew some tea for everyone." As the man moved to prepare the tea he continued speaking, trying to make small talk but instead made the three increasingly uncomfortable. "You wouldn't know it, but this basement gets right chilly at night. Cold as the grave… You know, it can be quite dangerous out in the wilderness. Being this far out scares my wife to death! Oh you should have been there when I met my wife. I lost my heart, and she lost her head… My wife can't help with the planting and harvesting. She's nothing but skin and bones! But I can't take all the credit. My wife handles the business side of things. She has a good head on her shoulders."

"We must go. Now." said Valla. She didn't want to hear any more of this man's insane drivel. There was clearly something wrong with him, and she did _not_ want to deal with it.

"Oh, is that so? Well do feel free to stop by anytime you'd like. I'm sure my wife would just _love_ to talk your head off next time you visit."

The three made a hasty exit from the cellar and out to the open. They stood in an awkward silence, still trying to process what they just witnessed, but Valla was the first to speak.

"We never speak of this, and we forget this ever happened. Agreed?"

""Agreed!"" There was no hesitation from Nazeebo and Johanna. They too wanted to forget everything they just saw. They've all seen some weird and crazy things before, but this encounter just might take the cake. They took a few more moments to compose themselves and get into the right mindset once again and then they proceeded to move forward to continue to look for the sword shard.

* * *

Naruto and his two companions moved along their side of the farmlands with relative ease. Naruto was right in his assumptions about Kharazim's fighting style. He was a well trained hand to hand fighter and his two fist weapons were a deadly combination that either crushed or cut open his opponents. He used Dashing Strikes that threw himself into the thick of battle dishing out devastating blows along the way. He would also summon a Wave of Light in the form of a large bell that would crush the enemies around him. He also used a defensive technique that temporarily blinded the enemies in front of him to give them an advantage. Kharazim was definitely a front line fighter who was not afraid to get in close to finish his opponents.

Xul had once again brought out his Blood Golem, as he called him, which proceeded to somehow give Naruto the stink eye even without any muscles on its skull, but as soon as enemies came into range the golem moved to engage them and ignored Naruto for now. Xul's other abilities definitely reminded Naruto of Kimimaro, as the primary attack he used were bone spikes that he summoned in a straight path along the ground, skewering everything that stood in its way. But what got most of his attention was that he used the corpses of the fallen creatures as weapons as well. He would either cause the corpses to explode or he would summon more bone spikes from them to launch from a distance through the air. His style of fighting did not mean he was vulnerable up close however as a few scavengers' heads were removed when they came too close to him. His scythe wasn't just for show.

As they were fighting, Naruto thought he would make some small talk to try and get to know his two new allies better.

"Hey, Kharazim."

"Yes comrade, do you need something?"

"No, I just thought that I'd let you know that I believe we actually saw one of your allies participate in the Skovos Games a little while back."

"Really? Do you know their name?"

"Uh, I forget. But she had short white hair and wore beads like yours, with a yellow gi, and brown pants. I also remember her walking around with a staff before her fight in the games. It was red with black leather grips, and it had like heavy steel heads on either end. I think the bottom was yellow with spikes coming out of it and the top was red and yellow but was carved into the shape of an angry face."

"Ah, the Warstaff of General Quang, that must be Uliana. How did she fare in her bout?"

"She did really good. She got all the way to the finals but she was beaten by an assassin, but it was a close match. I was impressed, she's really strong."

"That she is, I am glad to know she is doing well out on her own."

"Were you two close?"

"Not particularly, but we _are_ comrades. I know she set out to continue to better herself, always looking for the next challenge. The Patriarchs have high hopes for her. Her main ambition is to become the first Matriarch in over a century."

"Is it hard to become a Patriarch or Matriarch?"

"Extremely. In order to become a Patriarch or Matriarch, one must have a complete understanding of Sahptev, or the one-thousand and one gods. It is an undertaking that can take a lifetime to complete."

"That's… a lot of gods."

"Indeed."

"Well, I hope she can get there someday."

"I am sure she would appreciate the sentiment." His small conversation with Kharazim over now, Naruto turned to Xul to see what he could learn about him.

"So, Xul. Where do you come from?"

"Kehjistan."

"Oh. So, how did you become a necromancer?"

"Training."

"Okay. What is your energy source called?"

"Essence."

"What is the goal of the Priests of Rathma?"

"To uphold Balance."

"Wha…" Before Naruto could ask his next question he had to suddenly duck his head before the corpse of a quill fiend could hit him. As he looked over to where it came from he narrowed his eyes in suspicion as he saw the Blood Golem there with its back turned, fighting the only group of quill fiends that were around them. He thought it might have just been a coincidence but as he was about to turn away he saw the golem turn to look at him, giving him a smirk. Naruto couldn't do anything to retaliate as more enemies came to fight them, but he just gave the golem the 'I'm watching you gesture,' pointing his fingers to his eyes and back at the golem. "We'll continue this conversation later."

"As you wish."

They continued along their path for a little while longer and were walking through an empty area by some woods along the edge of a river. When Kharazim walked close to one particular tree, it suddenly uprooted itself with a loud roar, swinging at them with its branches almost catching the three off guard, as they dodged. Before Kharazim or Xul could engage it Naruto stood in front of them to stop them, and spoke.

"Hold on! I have a deep connection to nature and wood in particular. So let me handle this." The two men had also been observing Naruto as he fought alongside them and knew he could handle himself so they made no protest to stop him from moving on his own. They were not prepared for what would happen next, but something tells them that they should probably get used to this kind of behavior from this man.

Naruto moved forward towards the walking tree with his arms out wide in a placating manner as he started to speak to it, and oddly enough it did not immediately attack again. "Hey there big guy. It's all right, we won't hurt you. Trees are an important part of nature. So it's okay."

"Naruto, I don't think…"

"It's alright Kharazim. I got this." Naruto then moved up to the mobile tree and then wrapped as much of his arms around its trunk as he could in what looked to be a gentle embrace, to try and further placate the aggressive timber.

* * *

"Pfffft, bwahahahahahahaha!" A group of people who were old war veterans from the Fourth Great Shinobi War were gathered around, wanting to look in on how Naruto was progressing in the new world he was sent to, and watched as their old friend embraced a walking tree. Kankuro was the one on the ground laughing uproariously at the sight, but caught enough breath to speak momentarily. "Haha! I knew it! All of you Konoha shinobi are a bunch of tree huggers! Your own Seventh Hokage just confirmed what we all knew! Hahahahahahaha!"

"That is _so_ not cool Naruto. He's making us all look bad!" said Kiba.

"He, is much more… unorthodox than usual I must say. Why? I have not the faintest clue." said Shino.

"Uzumaki, did always feel like a weird one to me. So I'm not too surprised by this. But it's good to know we were right about the tree hugger thing too." said Kurotsuchi with a smile getting a small jab at her shinobi counter parts.

"I can't believe Hinata-sama married this man." said Neji while pinching the bridge of his nose to try and stave off a headache.

"He seems about the same to me. He was always trying to make his grand kids laugh by doing something really dumb. It usually worked too." said Choji.

"Yes Choji-san! Naruto-kun is just fanning his FLAMES OF YOUUUUUUTH!"

"I hope he can fan those flames faster because that tree is trying to kill him now." said Tenten as everyone but her and Neji covered their ears from Lee's outburst, having years of experience dealing with it already. Kankuro still couldn't stop laughing until he heard Tenten's comment and started paying more attention to what was going on.

"He changed his tune pretty quick there didn't he? I swear he's bipolar or something." said Karui sitting next to her husband as they watched together.

"Well it _is_ attacking him now. You can't really blame him. But I agree with Shino-san, his behavior does seem more odd than usual. At least from what I remember." said Chojuro.

"Uzumaki Naruto… wishes to keep their minds at ease."

"What do you mean Gaara?" asked Kankuro to his brother. Gaara continued but kept his eyes on what was happening the whole time.

"He is powerful. Far more powerful than he was during the war. These demons and animals are nothing compared to his skill and strength. Even to us they would pose no _real_ threat. But by showing his companions his natural foolishness and clumsiness he allows himself to appear more… human, in a sense. I believe that he hopes when the time comes for him to truly unveil his destructive power, they will not run in fear of him, but stand beside him and continue to see him as the compassionate man he is to the innocent, and his allies."

"… Wow little brother, that was pretty deep." The others couldn't help but agree with Kankuro, and they thought hard on Gaara's words. Many of them often wondered why Naruto was holding back so much, but thanks to Gaara's insight it seems they may have an answer to their unasked question.

"He has taught me much about the bonds we make with each other. So I am aware how important it is that he keeps the new bonds he has created with these warriors close to him."

"Well that's very sweet of you Gaara, and I _do_ believe you, but I think Uzumaki is still an idiot." said Kurotsuchi. No one bothered to dispute that claim either.

* * *

Naruto had a feeling someone was mocking him as soon as he hugged the aggressive tree, but any further thought on that had to wait as the tree's branches suddenly wrapped around him trying to choke the life out of him.

"Hey! You stupid tree, I was only trying to help you!" The tree, seeing as its victim was not dying as quickly as the others before, then started slamming Naruto into the ground repeatedly like a sack of potatoes over and over. Even with being manhandled so roughly, Naruto thought he saw Xul's golem laughing out of the corner of his eye with its shoulders shaking, but he currently had other things to deal with. "That's it you lousy piece of drift wood! I'm gonna chop the shit out of you and use the pieces to stoke the campfire and use that fire to boil the water that I'll use for my ramen! … Shit, I don't have any ramen. Whatever! You have no idea the kind of hell I can bring you!"

Kharazim and Xul _were_ going to intervene as soon as it grabbed hold of their companion, but after hearing Naruto yelling at the beast, they realized he wasn't in as much danger as they initially thought. They then observed as Naruto finally broke free of its hold on him and proceeded to make true on at least one of his threats. After Naruto broke the hold, he took out his trench knives, infusing them with wind chakra, and began hacking away; cutting it apart it with ease. After a few moments and the pained cries of the monstrous tree, there was nothing left but chopped up wood in a large pile on the ground.

"Stupid, ungrateful tree."

"I was trying to tell you that those beasts are not actual trees. No one really knows what they truly are or where they came from, but most are in agreement that the Wood Wraiths are not a part of nature."

"Oh. Well at least you tried Kharazim! Let no one take that away from you!" Naruto lightly patted the monk on the shoulder then continued to move forward as if nothing weird had occurred, but his two companions stood there, not quite comprehending what just happened, but they soon began following him to continue their search.

They fought along their path for a while longer, clearing out another area of goatmen and various other animals when they heard the sounds of angry yelling and fighting up ahead. The fighting was up on a hill in front of a wood mill and an adjacent house that was completely walled off. What had Naruto concerned was that the fighting wasn't happening between warriors and monsters, but civilians. And he could tell that the larger group was aiming to kill, while the other was just trying to defend themselves as best they could, but they were losing. One man stood out among the defenders, expertly wielding a two-handed crossbow, and he was the only one who was not hesitating to kill their attackers. Naruto and his group ran up to them immediately as Naruto tried to figure out what was going on.

"What the hell is going on here?!"

"More witnesses. Kill them!"

The attackers then turned on them but Naruto, Kharazim, Xul and his golem were beyond their capabilities. The three warriors and golem dealt with them swiftly. Naruto figured they were probably bandits, so he knew he had to deal with them accordingly, but he made sure to make it quick for them at least. Once they were dealt with, Naruto saw that two young men were frantically trying to help another older man that had a serious wound, and if it was not taken care of soon he would die. So he rushed over and immediately set up his barrier and got to work on healing the man, including the two young men that were caught inside. They felt Naruto's energy wash over them but they were too panicked or in too much pain to realize what was going on until it suddenly went away.

"It's alright. He's gonna be okay. No need to worry anymore."

The two men checked the wound again on the man's chest and found it to be completely healed, as the man himself sat up on his own and looked up at Naruto. The other men that were out there defending their families looked to Naruto in awe that he could heal a serious wound like that.

"Thank you. Thank you so much for saving us."

""Thank you for saving our father!"" said the two young men who helped get their father back on his feet.

"See! Didn't I tell you Mr. Lewis. My comrades arrived just in time! Let me introduce you! This here is uh, um, Gary!"

"I am Xul."

"Xul! Of course, how could I forget! Then this is uh, my good buddy Steve."

"Kharazim."

"Oh right, you changed your name didn't you? Haha. Forgot about that. And finally we have..."

"Cut the crap Lyndon! I know you don't know any of these men here!"

"Oh, haha. Got caught did I?"

"This is all your fault! You put my entire family and the others in danger! I want you gone, and you better stay away from Sasha or I'll kill you myself!"

"Oh dear. It seems I've been kicked out. Well gents, I say it's time to hit that old dusty trail once more eh?"

"Uh, sure I guess. Why don't you two take, Lyndon was it?" said Naruto.

"Right you are!"

"Right. Take him along with you to try and find that sword shard along the path we were taking. He looked like he could handle himself. I'll catch up with you in a bit. I just want a word with these people and see if everything's okay here." Kharazim and Xul reluctantly agreed as they could tell that this Lyndon character was not welcome here anymore, and they had a goal in mind on this particular outing that they needed to see done. So the three men moved from the others to continue the search.

"That man is nothing but trouble. You're better off leaving him for the scavengers."

"He did help protect you, you know. He can't be all _that_ bad."

"He's still a scoundrel if you ask me."

"Maybe. Can you tell me what happened here?"

"Those bandits were after Lyndon. I think they were some old _friends_ of his from what I heard them saying. I think one said they had to tie up loose ends or something."

"You wouldn't happen to know _why_ they were after him would you?"

"He's a damned thief! I recently found out he was trying to use my daughter to get to our family heirloom! But if I had to guess, he was probably a part of the thieves guild. He did say he was from Kingsport, and that's where their main operations are rumored to be."

"Well if that's true, and they're after him, then that means he left the guild. I'll look into it later, but let's forget about him now. Is there anyone else here that's hurt? You said your family and others were here didn't you?"

"That's right. When all the wildlife and goatmen started to go crazy out here, the other farmers and their families came to our mill for shelter. Our home was built to defend against the wildlife so we would always allow them to take cover here during emergencies. They're all good friends of ours."

""Except for Crazy Caius!"" said the brothers.

"Crazy who?"

"That's not important, what is important is that we're all fine now thanks to you. The women and children stayed inside the walls while we tried to fend those bandits off. They are all unharmed and should still be inside the house."

"I'm glad. Just let them know that we're clearing out the fields here. There are two other groups out there searching for something that we need to retrieve."

"May I ask what that is?"

"It's a sword shard that fell from the sky a week ago. We're sure that is what's causing all the wildlife to run rampant out here. So we're going to take it back. Let the others know that the fields will be cleared by the end of the day and that they can return to their homes. Or you all can go to New Tristram if you're running low on supplies or if you need any other help."

"I see. Thank you so much for putting an end to this. The others will be happy to hear it. Can I get the name of the man who saved my life?"

"It's Naruto Uzumaki."

"You can call me Lewis. I'll let you be on your way then. Good luck out there."

"Thanks. You all stay safe."

* * *

Naruto caught up to the three men as they were in the middle of fighting more enemies and joined in. Naruto kept an eye on the newest guy, Lyndon, who was holding his own. He has black hair, with a bit of a receding hairline, and a mustache that reached down to his jaw bone. He wore an open green and brown long coat with high collars and brown pants, he had light steel gauntlets, pauldrons, boots, and chest armor along with two large quivers of bolts hanging from either side of his waist. The two-handed crossbow he was fighting with was made with a dark hard wood that had a long stock to rest against his shoulder, a spiked stirrup jutting out in the front, and a red drawstring (Demon Machine).

Overall Lyndon did well in covering for them as Naruto could tell that some of his bolts were even poisoned or explosive to cause extra damage. He had a little trouble dealing with things up close but he used some of his bolts as a quick dagger to defend himself. If he started to get overwhelmed, Naruto was there to cover him; he wasn't _really_ going to let him be done in by scavengers. They finished clearing the area soon enough and found themselves at the end of the fields with no sign of the sword shard ever being seen.

"Well a good round of fighting is one way to fill an afternoon! Am I right gentlemen?"

"It gets the blood flowing at least."

"My thoughts exactly! You know, I've met Gary and Steve here but I didn't quite get your name." Kharazim looked a little annoyed being referred to by a name that isn't his, and Xul didn't really seem to care but his golem looked like it was annoyed for him.

"Haha, you better watch it. Gary and Steve might just kick your ass."

"Oh, nonsense! We've become the best of chaps during your time away. Right comrades?" Xul and Kharazim didn't bother to answer with Xul having an unimpressed look on his face and Kharazim seemed to be all business at the moment.

"… Right. Well my name's Naruto Uzumaki."

"Naruto? Strange name, but it's yours all the same. I'll try to remember it."

"I'm _so_ glad."

"Well, what are strapping young lads like yourselves doing all the way out here?"

"We're here to find a sword shard that belongs to a man that fell from the sky a week ago. If you haven't noticed, the wildlife have been in a frenzy and the dead were even woken all around New Tristram. My group and I have dealt with it for the most part, but that man lost his memory and we believe the pieces of his sword will give them back. He said he came with a warning but he doesn't know what it is since he can't remember. That's why we need to find those pieces."

"Really? Fell right out of the sky, eh? Haha, maybe he's an angel; I wouldn't mind a pretty little angel falling into _my_ lap. Am I right gents?! Hahaha!"

"Yeah, I'd tone down that kind of talk if I were you."

"Come now, we're all men here. In fact, there's too many men. What I'd give to have a couple lovely ladies to entertain me, but alas, that is far too expensive for me at the moment."

"Oh, would you like _me_ to entertain you?" said Li-Ming as she and her group approached. She had a sweet smile on her face that admittedly looked more sinister than sweet and she had an arcane orb floating just in front of her wand, ready to unleash it if he said the wrong thing.

Lyndon turned around and saw Li-Ming and had to admit she looked dashing, but then he noticed the orb and her scary smile. Then he saw the other woman with this new group and loved the view of all the skin she was showing, but then he saw her two large swords firmly held in each hand, recently covered in blood. He knew right then that Naruto was trying to warn him and ended up sticking his foot in his mouth.

"Haha. No, no I was… I was just joking. You know how boys can be, haha… Please don't kill me."

"Good. I'm glad we understand each other." said Li-Ming as she dissipated her orb but kept up her scary smile.

"Who is this scoundrel?" asked Kormac with narrowed eyes. Already not liking the man.

"This is Lyndon. Lyndon, these are Li-Ming, Sonya and Kormac."

"Hello there everyone! We may have gotten off on the wrong foot a bit, but I'm _really_ not that bad! I promise!"

"Yeah, well anyway, there was some trouble with bandits at the top of the hill at a mill a little ways back and we helped Lyndon take care of it. Turns out the farmers and their families took shelter there when things turned south around here."

"Oh good. So there _are_ survivors. I was getting worried. We looked through two farmhouses on our way here and we didn't find anything. I'm glad."

"Me too Li-Ming, never should have doubted you."

"Of course you shouldn't."

"Haha, so no sword shard either huh?"

"Afraid not Naruto, but we did clear out all the enemies along the way. Perhaps Johanna and her group had better luck." said Sonya.

"You're probably right. Let's all backtrack down the center to meet up with them or see if they need help."

The now larger group moved back in the direction they came from by cutting through the middle of fields and ran into some more enemies, but with the majority of their group there plus one new addition, they had an even easier time defeating them. After another twenty minutes or so of fighting they came upon a cave that looked to be an old mine shaft and saw what looked like something had crashed into it through the top of the rock formation as it gave off a similar blue glow that the stranger left behind when he crashed into the cathedral. They decided to go inside and check to see if their other comrades had beat them to it.

And since there were already so many of them going in this mine shaft, Xul dismissed his golem once again to save some space and moved on ahead with the others. While it was sinking into the portal beneath its feet, Naruto started making annoying and stupid faces at it to mock it. The golem started growling at him not liking his gestures. Li-Ming saw this when she heard it growling and turned to Naruto.

"Really Naruto? Stop antagonizing Xul's golem! Act your age."

"But… but that thing has it out for me!"

"I'm sure it's just your imagination."

"He threw a quill fiend at me!"

"Now you're just making things up." Li-Ming then turned around and started walking into the mine shaft, tired of Naruto's excuses. As the golem's head was just sinking under, Naruto saw it smirk at him.

"Look! He's got that dumb smug smirk on his face! He's making fun of me!"

"Come now Naruto. He doesn't have any muscles on its skull, how can it smirk?"

"But… but… (sigh) Stupid golem, this isn't over yet!" Naruto decided to give up on trying to convince Li-Ming for now as he began mumbling to himself on how to get back at it next time.

"Our comrades were definitely here alright. Crushed bones, bolts, poisoned darts. That looks like their M. O." said Kormac as he and the others recognized the damage to more goatmen and other animals being inflicted by their three other comrades.

After a few more minutes of walking further into the mine shaft they heard a familiar voice. "Sorry, but you're all a little late to the party." said Johanna as she, Valla and Nazeebo came walking into view. "And another newcomer as well?"

"That's right! Fear not ladies, uh and gentleman, Lyndon is here! I am a man of many talents you could say. Oh, and a fellow archer! Perhaps, we can exchange notes in a more… private setting, hm?" Valla did not take kindly to his not so subtle proposition and threw a flurry of knives that had him pinned to the wall by his coat.

"Whoa! Oh, haha, y-you're a Demon Hunter aren't you? Should've known."

"I thought you learned the first time?" said Naruto.

"Sorry, old habits. I'll behave."

"Lyndon, these three that you haven't met yet are Johanna, Nazeebo and Valla. Just a warning, Valla has not only impeccable aim, and has proven she is one of the best archers in the world by finishing second in the Skovos Games, but she has great night vision as well. So you would stay a lot healthier if you didn't antagonize her."

"Noted, thanks for the warning."

"No problem. Well, now that everyone's met Lyndon, let's move on. Did you manage to find a piece to the sword?"

"Uh, can I get a little help here?" asked Lyndon, who was still hanging from the wall, but everyone ignored him for now and continued on. He just sighed and chose to calmly endure this punishment. They are _so_ cruel, he just can't help himself sometimes!

"Indeed we did." Johanna said, indicating towards one of the quivers hanging from Valla's thigh, where they could see a piece of a broken sword sticking out. "But it seems like we'll have some competition in obtaining the other pieces."

"What happened?"

"A witch named Maghda appeared before us as an apparition, stating that they want the sword. It looks like she is the one who is the leader of this Coven and they believe the sword to be of great importance." said Valla.

"I'm assuming her Coven gave you some trouble."

"Indeed, the witch was able to summon Coven members before us but their efforts were in vain. We have defeated them soundly." said Nazeebo.

"Good, I'm glad you're all okay."

"She did leave us with a message though. She stated that the other piece of the sword lies only where the ancients may tread." said Johanna.

"Well I don't know what that means, but I'm sure Cain or Leah would probably know. These Coven people really don't know how to keep important information to themselves. It seems like a really bad habit."

"Let us be glad that they are not very smart then." said Li-Ming.

"I guess so. Let's get back to the village and see what they can tell us." Naruto then moved to Lyndon and took out all the knives that kept him in place and gave them back to Valla.

"No! Don't give them back to her!"

"No sense in letting them go to waste."

"Thank you Naruto."

"Don't mention it Valla."

"Well Lyndon, you don't have to stick around anymore if you don't want. We still have a lot of work ahead of us and it will just get more dangerous."

"Hmm, it _has_ been a while since I went out adventuring with so many wonderfully gifted people. Maybe I'll stick around for a little while, just until I get back on my feet." Naruto could hear the underlying message of safety in numbers. If this Thieves Guild was really after him, he would have a better chance of surviving if he wasn't on his own. And if they could track him down once then they could do it again. Just as long as he pulled his own weight then he didn't really mind.

"I don't mind, but I can't speak for everyone." Naruto gave a look around and he could see that Li-Ming, Valla and Kormac weren't really happy about it but they made no protest. "Alright then, you can come with us, but just… watch what you say. If you dig yourself into another hole, don't expect any of us to dig you out."

"Haha, I-I'll keep that in mind."

* * *

After explaining once again Naruto's Hiraishin technique to the three newest additions, they were all in the middle of New Tristram. If they experienced any sort of discomfort from the quick jump, Kharazim and Xul did not voice it out loud, but Lyndon had been the most surprised and appeared to have a strong case of vertigo as his legs were a bit shaky.

"Holy! I haven't felt _that_ dizzy since I snuck into my first bar! This brings back… _conflicting_ memories. Haha!"

"Have you no shame you heathen?"

"Nope, at least not the last time I checked! Who are you again?"

"I am Kormac of the Templar Order."

"A Templar eh? No wonder you don't have a sense of humor. Templars are soooo _boring_!"

"Why yo…"

"Alright boys, settle down." said Li-Ming. "We have other matters to worry about."

""Yes ma'am!"" Li-Ming had a grin on her face as she took a sense of enjoyment from their quick response. While Kormac's response was more out of respect, Lyndon's was more out of fear. Either way, she could get used to that.

The group gathered around the front door of Cain's house as Naruto knocked so they could speak to him. After a few moments, Leah opened the door and was glad to see they were all okay and let them in to see what they found. Everyone explained what happened during their own fights and Leah and Cain were introduced to Lyndon, and he actually managed to behave when he met Leah, despite her being the most harmless of the women there. Once Nazeebo and his group got through their own summary of events, this left Leah and Cain to think on the message the witch Maghda had left them with.

"You know, that sounds like it could be the Drowned Temple, I remember you telling me about it uncle."

"Good Leah, very good. You are absolutely right. That ancient temple was home to the Nephalem; the first children born from the union of angel and demon."

"Seriously? Angels and demons, procreated? How does that happen?"

"Oh? Has Naruto not learned where babies come from? Is Li-Ming going to have to explain the birds and the bees to you?" Li-Ming said in a mocking manner and some of the others gave a chuckle, but Leah and Kormac grew a bit red in the face, not really used to such talk.

"Ooh! Ooh! Let me help! I can give all _sorts_ of details of how babies are made. Don't worry Naruto, uncle Lyndon will guide you down the path to manhood." said Lyndon as he put an arm around Naruto's shoulders.

Naruto wasn't fazed by this at all and took their teasing in stride, as he knew all too well the art of conception. He gently lifted Lyndon's hand off his shoulder and away from him as he responded dryly, but not giving anything away. "Yeah, no. I know how babies are made. What I know you know what I meant was that aren't angels and demons supposed to be mortal enemies? I figured they would hate each other too much to even think about creating a life together."

"There are always those who tire of war and seek peace after countless millennia enduring it, but I am afraid that should be a tale for another day. Leah, you know the path to the Drowned Temple, and with your knowledge I believe you will be of great help to our friends here. I am far too old to travel like I used to, so I will leave it to you to be their guide."

"Okay uncle, I'll do my best."

"That is all I can ask of you Leah. Naruto, may I ask that you continue to watch over Leah, while you are away?"

"Of course Cain. You don't even need to ask, I'll make sure she stays safe."

"Thank you."

Leah was still a little put off and embarrassed of having to be watched over, but she knew that she was probably the weakest one out of everyone there, so she decided not to make a fuss over it this time. From the stories she heard from the others about him, she had already figured that Naruto would look after everyone regardless of who they are or how strong they are. At the same time she also felt grateful and relieved, knowing that she was in good hands with Naruto watching over her. They all soon made their way out of Cain's house and into the town square.

"We still have some daylight ahead of us, but not for too long, so we should get started. Well Leah, you _are_ the guide so, lead the way!"

"It's pretty far away actually, up to the north. There _is_ a waypoint near that location that I've been to before but I would be the only one who has access to it since the rest of you haven't been there to activate it yet. If only there was… Wait! Your kunai thing! If I go on ahead with the waypoint and use that kunai you gave me, we can have everyone there in no time!"

"That does sound like it would be the easiest way, but I don't like that you're going ahead of us. We don't know what could be around there."

"That's true Naruto, but she wouldn't be alone for very long. We _will_ be there immediately after her." said Li-Ming.

"I guess so, but I don't want to take any chances. Leah, have that kunai ready and everyone else grab a hold of me. When you get there, make sure there's a big enough clearing and throw it right away."

"Okay, I understand."

They all gathered in front of the waypoint in the center of town to see Leah off, and everyone else gathered around Naruto and placed a hand on him to get ready to leave. It was a bit of an awkward sight for everyone in that part of town to see nine different warriors all holding onto Naruto like that. Leah thought it was amusing too as she stared at them, burning the image into her memory.

"Uh, are you ready to go yet?"

"Sorry, you all just look a little funny with everyone standing around you like that. Like if it was a group hug or something. It's kind of cute." Naruto just snickered to himself, while some of the others were a little put off.

"Can you please just hurry so we can get this over with." said Valla.

"Okay, I'm on my way. See you soon!" In a brief flash of light Leah was gone. After a few short moments they were all standing on a stone pathway surrounded by dense shrubbery and trees. The pathway was lined with short stone pillars that looked to be centuries old but were still overall in good condition. Naruto picked up the kunai at his feet and handed it back to Leah as she spoke to them. "We should be close by, but we still have to travel a little ways before we reach the temple. I believe it's this way, follow me."

"So you've never actually been to this temple before, Leah?" asked Johanna.

"No. My uncle has, but he wasn't able to enter it, and he told me that it is guarded by an ancient Nephalem spirit named Alaric."

"What _are_ the Nephalem if you don't mind me asking, aside from being half angel half demon." said Naruto.

"Well, the Nephalem were the first humans."

"Really? Then doesn't that make everyone living in Sanctuary a Nephalem."

"No, it's a bit more complicated than that and has a long story, but I'll try my best and sum it up. Like my uncle alluded to before, many angels and demons grew tired of their eternal war and sought to escape it. So a group of them made peace with each other and banded together to take the Worldstone. With the Worldstone they created Sanctuary, their own paradise free from war. That is when the angels and demons started falling in love with each other and the very first Nephalem were born. Those firstborns were initially called the Ancients and they were immortal just like their parents. Some of the Ancients that are still known today are actually worshiped as deities; like Bul-Kathos of the Barbarians, Rathma of the Necromancers, Vasily of the Druids, Esu of the sorceresses, and Philios is said to be the father of the first two Askari Queens that named the main island of the Skovos Isles after him."

"So, many of these Ancients created their own culture basically."

"That's right, but the parents of the Ancients grew afraid of them because they came to learn that they were even far stronger than the angels and demons. They feared that they would one day turn on them or bring the attention of the High Heavens or the Burning Hells to Sanctuary. So, many of the angels and demons who fled the Eternal Conflict thought it would be better to kill their children to avoid another war. Of course there were many who opposed such a thing, but they didn't know what to do either. I'm a little fuzzy on some of the details, but in the end the Worldstone was used to slowly diminish the power of the Nephalem over time, with each generation getting weaker than the last and their lifespans declining. The Nephalem eventually became mortal and left with very little power, and that was when the rise of humans came about, with the majority of them having no knowledge of their legacy. It's only through old texts and some Ancient Nephalem ghosts like Alaric, that we even have any knowledge at all about our past."

"That sounds crazy, so these Ancients and later the Nephalem were once immortal and capable of incredible powers, but their powers were diminished over time that eventually led to humanity. But these Nephalem are all extinct now?"

"We're not exactly sure. My uncle believes that with the destruction of the Worldstone, there is a chance that the Nephalem can make a resurgence, but it's all just speculation at this point."

"What about this Alaric guy, are we gonna have to fight him to get through to the temple?" asked Naruto. He wasn't the only one surprised by Sanctuary's history. Many of the others could only imagine what the Nephalem were once capable of.

"I don't think so? But I'm not really sure. We'll just have to see and find out. There's no telling what we'd have to do to gain entrance."

It was anyone's guess as to what they would have to do to enter the temple, but whatever happens they would be prepared. They moved along the path for another dozen or so minutes when they came to the edge of a staircase leading down. What stood in front of them was a giant ancient stone temple that looked to be built within a crevice or canyon, as a thick mist surrounded the lower portion, which was thick enough to not allow anyone to see how far deep into the earth the temple went. There were many tall columns standing at the front and at the center of the temple there was a massive stone face staring straight ahead. The loud sound of rushing waters could also be heard flowing beneath the temple, which indicated waterfalls that were responsible for the mist. Two more flights of stairs down led to a large raised platform with ancient runes carved into it that led to a ledge as the temple was not connected to any land. There was about a fifty foot gap between the temple entrance and the ledge.

"So with all the running water I'm hearing, I guess that's why they call it the Drowned Temple?" asked Naruto as they all began the slow trek down the stairs to reach its base.

"Yes, my uncle says that the temple has been slowly sinking into the earth for years now. Eventually it will be lost forever beneath the running waters. But no one has been able to enter the temple since the last of the Nephalem died out. I would love to explore it and document what's within before it is lost to the ages though."

"You just might get your chance. But it looks like we weren't the only ones trying to get in." Naruto indicated to a few recently killed Coven members, whose bodies were laid out on the platform near the ledge.

"The Coven were trying to get in to get another piece of the shard, but something killed them. But even if they weren't killed I don't think they could have gotten in anyway." said Li-Ming.

"Why do you say that?" asked Leah.

"I can sense a magical barrier surrounding this temple. Someone has sealed it away."

"You are correct stranger. This temple _is_ sealed away." As they reached the base of the last flight of stairs, they all heard the sound of a deep voice they could not pinpoint, until they saw a ghost bathed in an ethereal blue fire appear up from beneath the mist to stand on the ledge in front of them.

"You're Alaric aren't you? The guardian of this temple. Uncle Deckard told me about you." said Leah.

"No, I do not guard this temple. I am simply here to watch over it and wait for the next coming of the Ancients to open the path. Only those who have awakened the blood of the Nephalem can unlock the secrets within. If you are worthy, the way will be made clear and the world will know that the Nephalem walk amongst them once again. If you wish to test your fate, then step forward, the temple will determine if you are worthy."

"But there have been no Nephalem for a millennium."

"If you truly believe so then turn back, those who are deemed unworthy will have their fate sealed." Alaric then indicated to the Coven bodies that lay at his feet to emphasize his point.

"Well, this was a fun field trip, but I guess it's time we head back now! Maybe next time!" said Lyndon.

"We can't go back, we _need_ that shard." said Li-Ming.

"Well if any of you want to test your fate go right ahead, but count me out. I already know that I'm unworthy, and I enjoy breathing after all."

"I am afraid that I must agree with the scoundrel. I do not believe that I am worthy either. If there is anyone destined for that honor I believe it could be any one of you. I truly believe that." said Kormac.

"What should we do?" asked Leah. Everyone was unsure and didn't know if they could take a leap of faith like that. None of them had the confidence to believe that they were Nephalem so they were all hesitant to try their luck. Naruto however, made the choice for them as he stepped up onto the raised platform. "Naruto?"

"I want you all to stay back. If this doesn't work, go back to New Tristram and speak to Cain. You'll have to find another way to get in."

"Stop being an idiot for once! If this doesn't work, do you expect us to just stand here and watch you die!" shouted Li-Ming.

"I have the best chance of surviving whatever may happen. This is the best option we have right now. I won't ask any of you to do something that I'm not willing to do myself."

"Naruto don't do this, we can all go back and speak with my uncle now. We can find another way!" Even with his back turned, Naruto could tell they all had worried looks on their faces, well aside from Xul, but even he was looking on with rapt attention.

"I'll be fine guys. Trust me."

' _Naruto, I don't think this is a good idea.'_

' _I don't know what else to do Kurama. We have to get into that temple, and I'd rather put myself at risk then any of them. They don't have a healing factor like I do, and I have to see what we're up against.'_

' _Why not just break the place open?' said Shukaku._

' _I don't want to risk destroying that shard, and it isn't my place to go destroying ancient monuments like this. I'm sure that would upset a whole lot of people out there.'_

' _Fine brat, just be prepared.'_

"Are you ready to face your fate?" asked Alaric.

"Yes." As soon as Naruto answered, the runes on the platform started to glow beneath him and the eyes of the giant face across from him started to radiate a beam of soft blue light that engulfed his entire body. That's when he felt it, pain. He tried to fight through it but his whole body felt like it was boiling. The others could see him tense up and they could see his veins bulging and throbbing on the back of his neck, his forearms and hands. He couldn't take it anymore and he fell to his knees and yelled out to the sky from the pain. "AAAAAHHH!"

""Naruto!""

Li-Ming, Leah and the others moved on instinct; forgetting Naruto's words to stay back. When the light from the temple first came forth, Li-Ming, Nazeebo, Valla, Sonya, Johanna, Leah, Kharazim, and Xul felt as if they were drawn to the light that engulfed Naruto. It wasn't until they heard his screams that they moved to cover him. Li-Ming and Leah were the quickest to move, with Li-Ming standing protectively in front of Naruto to block the light with her own body and Leah rushed to his downed form to cradle his head into her shoulder as he yelled into her. Leah could immediately feel the heat coming off his body, he was burning from the inside. The others, aside from Kormac and Lyndon who stayed back watching helplessly, formed a wall in front of Naruto standing side by side with Li-Ming in the middle. They all unconsciously started to push their energies forward, as if to make a shield to block the light.

They were all expecting to feel the same pain that Naruto was feeling but all they felt was warmth as the light engulfed them. After they all stood on the platform and began to radiate their energies, the runes beneath them started to blink, flashing and fading rapidly. The light from the eyes of the stone face began to be pushed back by their combined energies until it was forced back into the temple. Then they saw that the light that was once aimed at them was shot into the sky from the top of the temple as if it was a beacon sending a message to the world. Unknown to them, all across Sanctuary similar temples reacted in the same way as they lit up the sky for everyone to see. They then heard the sound of stone rubbing against stone and saw the mouth of the face begin to open, revealing the entrance. They then heard and felt rumbling beneath them and soon after, more stone platforms began to rise from beneath the mist, extending a bridge to the temple to allow them entry.

"The path, is now made clear to all. So many Nephalem gathered in one place after all these centuries, I have longed for the time I would see this day. But even more intriguing, the one deemed as unworthy survived the temple's tribulation. Such a feat has been unheard of."

Alaric's words broke them out of their marvel of what just happened in front of them and they all immediately turned around to see to their downed ally. Leah was still holding him but it looked as if he had passed out from the pain but he was still breathing, much to their relief. Especially, those who had been traveling and fighting alongside him the longest. Li-Ming turned him over in Leah's arms to make sure he was okay by checking his vitals and to see if there were any injuries they couldn't see. As she felt for his pulse she could feel the heat coming from his skin, which was far too hot for any human to be capable of withstanding. It was really a wonder how he survived.

"Thank god! He's okay. That moron, why does he always do this?" said Li-Ming as she wiped away a few unshed tears, initially believing the worst.

Leah as well had tears in her eyes as his screams of pain were already starting to haunt her. He was so strong and confident all the time, and he's done so much for the villagers, for her and her uncle. It just didn't feel right to see him like this; even when he took that blow from the unburied inside of Old Tristram that left a gaping hole in his side; he was up soon after as if he wasn't just bleeding out a few moments prior. Nazeebo, Valla, Sonya and Johanna were of the same mindset, they never thought they could see Naruto so vulnerable. He always bounced back even after every debilitating blow, but he is still unconscious. It worried them greatly.

"It is his nature. He was the only one of us strong enough to survive something like this. So he put his own body at risk to spare us the pain and suffering." said Nazeebo solemnly.

"I don't understand. He is stronger than any of us, I know this. How is it that _he_ is unworthy, while _we_ stand here unscathed?" said Sonya.

"The eight of you are far more special than you realize. The blood of the Ancients flows through your veins. You… are **Nephalem**." said Alaric.

"You don't understand Alaric. The prophecy the Crusaders were told, led us to believe that the one we searched for had the power to rival or even surpass the Ancients. There is no doubt in my mind that _this_ man is the one we have searched for, the light within him is undeniable. If anyone would be Nephalem, it should be _him_."

"That is not possible, the Temple of the Ancients makes no mistakes. The man that lies before you may perhaps be special in his own way, but Nephalem, he is not."

Everyone looked down to see the man lying in Leah's arms, and think over Alaric's words. Kharazim, Xul and Lyndon are the only ones who have yet to see any of Naruto's real power in action but the others who have been with him longer know he is not someone to be ignored. Especially for Li-Ming and Nazeebo who saw Naruto revive the dead, and summon a monstrous beast, and Valla who witnessed his power firsthand as he destroyed a small mountain, it was unthinkable for them to believe that Naruto could be denied in such a manner. What does this mean? What secrets does he continue to hide from them?

"… Kormac, Lyndon. Help Leah watch over him. There shouldn't be any trouble around here but keep them both safe." Li-Ming said in a surprisingly serious manner. She was upset, she thought she lost someone important to her and she is getting tired of all his recklessness, and the mysteries that continue to surround Naruto are starting to grate her nerves. She just wanted to get this over with quickly.

""Yes ma'am."" The two did as they were told and helped get Naruto off of the platform and put him near the base of the stairs, where Leah took out her canteen and wet a handkerchief she had to try and cool Naruto down. Leah _did_ want to go into the temple to see it but she couldn't even think about that right now. Naruto was her main concern, so entering the temple didn't even cross her mind at the moment.

"We're going on ahead. We'll be back as soon as we can."

"Be warned strangers. Now that the temple has been awoken, so too have the dangers within. The same can be said for all Nephalem edifices across Sanctuary. They are now open for all to enter, but those who intrude unprepared, will only find death awaiting them."

"… Let's go."

No one wanted to dispute Li-Ming's orders, and they really had no reason to, so the seven warriors moved forward across the bridge and into the temple to retrieve that sword shard. Before they left, Nazeebo summoned his gargantuan to stay behind and Valla set up two turrets to help Kormac and Lyndon if they needed it, just for extra precaution.

* * *

' _Where am I?'_

' _You're in your mindscape, you're unconscious.'_ said Gyuki.

' _Ugh. What happened?'_

' _Your fleshy body couldn't handle the strain from that energy. We had to cover your vital organs in our chakra to prevent them from bursting, even then it was difficult.'_ said Kurama.

' _But how, I just remember getting really hot. Having used Kokuo's Boil Release, I should be able to handle my body overheating.'_

' _It wasn't the heat that was killing you, it was the energy. Whatever that energy was, it is far older then even us. Just because our chakra is strong and potent on its own doesn't make you immune to foreign energies, especially ones as ancient as that. You have to stop thinking your so invincible Naruto. We still know very little about this world. We don't know what else is out there.'_

' _He's right Naruto-kun. We understand your reasons, and you most likely_ are _the only person on this world to survive such a thing, but we need you,_ they _need you.'_ said Matatabi.

' _Come on, you sound like if I could…'_

' _Die? We don't know Naruto-kun. Our father said that you are beyond_ time _, so you can't die of old age, but does that mean you cannot be killed? To be honest, none of us are really sure. You have survived many critical injuries in the past and by my count you have actually died twice, but someone was always there to bring you back. Perhaps you_ really can't _be killed, but do you really want to take that risk?'_

Naruto could see all the Biju looking at him in concern. They really _are_ a part of his family; they care about and love him and he feels the same towards them. If he is able to die here the Biju would probably be stuck on this world and forced to fight for an eternity. The people would treat them as demons, the angels would also see them as demons and since they would never side with the forces of hell, the actual demons would see them as enemies as well. They would be alone and surrounded on all sides. So no, he couldn't take that risk.

' _You know, with how old I am I didn't think I could still be lectured like this after all this time, but I guess there's always something to learn huh? But to answer your question Matatabi, no, I can't take that risk. I'm sorry, I promise I'll look after myself better from now on.'_

' _Good. Now rest, your friends will be fine, so there is nothing to worry about.'_

Naruto lied on his back again and shut his eyes to allow his mind to rest as the Biju continued to work on healing his body. If they said that his friends would be fine then he will trust them and take the opportunity to rest.

* * *

"He is a lucky man, that one." said Lyndon.

"I know. I don't know how he could have survived such a thing. He was in so much pain." Leah said as she continued to wipe down his face, already feeling his body cooling down.

"Well yes, there is that. But I was thinking more along the lines of, so _many_ women with concern in their eyes _just_ for him! _Such_ a lucky man! Now if only they could look at _me_ in such a way."

"I think it's because they are all close friends of his and they look up to him because he has helped so many people. I look up to him as well. He's done so much for me and the village. So it's not surprising we would be worried about him."

"Leah is right, this man and his allies saved my life. He is someone I admire greatly; his ferocity to his enemies, his kindness to the innocent. It shames me greatly that I did not have the courage to defend him when he needed it most."

"Don't say that Kormac. If you had gone up there like me and the others you could have possibly been killed. Naruto wouldn't want that."

"You are right. Forgive me."

"It _is_ intriguing though isn't it? If what Sonya and Johanna said was true, and this man is a greater force than even they are, why is it that he was nearly killed while you and the others don't even have a scratch?" said Lyndon.

"I don't know. I'm surprised that it even recognized _me_ as a Nephalem. All of them are so much stronger than I am. I'm always the one who needs to be protected, so how can _I_ of all people be seen as one of them?"

"The world works in mysterious ways Leah. Do not doubt yourself. I am sure the time will come when your prowess will be known to all."

"Thanks Kormac."

"Ooh! This gets me so excited! This means that I'm surrounded by _magnificent_ _ly fantastical_ people! And Kormac. If I stay with you lot I'm _sure_ to become famous! I can ride on your coattails all the way through to glory! And I'll have more women than I know what to do with and…"

"Yeah, and at the same time you'll be put in more danger than you could probably handle. So go right ahead and hop along, but don't blame us if you meet an early grave."

"Naruto! You're awake! How do you feel?" said Leah.

"Like crap." Naruto tried to sit up but the strain on his muscles was still too much right now, and Leah saw this as she placed a hand on his chest to keep him down.

"Don't get up, just rest for now. You've done enough."

"Haha. Y-you know I was just kidding about all that right? Old buddy?"

"Whatever you say Lyndon. How are we all doing? Where is everybody?"

"The others went on ahead into the temple to retrieve the shard."

"The temple opened up?"

"Yes, w-when you started screaming, myself and the others that went on ahead, moved to protect you. It turns out that we were all Nephalem, and the temple raised a bridge to let us through."

"Is that so? That's impressive."

"Yes. It even recognized _me_ as one, surprising right?"

"Not really. I could tell you were someone special the first day we met. So you being a Nephalem isn't surprising at all to me."

Leah felt herself blush at his words, he really believed she was something special even before he got to know her. It made her happy to hear him compliment her like that but she didn't believe she could live up to his expectations. "Really? But how can you say that? I'm so much weaker than all of you. I'm the one that has to be protected, I'm just useless."

"You are _not_ useless Leah! It doesn't matter how weak or strong you are, _anyone_ can make a difference, even you. You said you had problems controlling your power right? If you need help with that, I'm more than willing to help you get control over them. If you want to become stronger and protect what is precious to you then I will help you do that, but the choice is ultimately yours."

"I… I want to get stronger. Please help me."

"I will. When we have some downtime, I'll work with you to gain control over your powers. I promise that you'll realize for yourself just how special you are."

"Thank you."

* * *

"This architecture is something else isn't it? I've never seen ruins like this." said Johanna.

"Yes, I believe there is a temple like this within the Teganze as well, but the spirits always advised us to stay away from such a place. It may have also been sealed away, but if it is truly open to all now, I pray that my brethren continue to heed the warnings of the spirits."

"Well, we have yet to run into any dangers so far within this place." said Sonya.

"Do not drop your guard. The gods themselves once dwelled within these hallowed grounds." said Kharazim.

They all continued to move forward and into the lower levels of the temple. The stone halls had smaller carvings lining the walls, of the same stone face as the entrance. Soon they could hear the sounds of rushing water once again up ahead and they came to a more open area with the walkway they were on becoming a bridge across a deep chasm. The bridge led to another area that was flooded with water that was flowing over the edges deeper into the temple.

"Look up ahead. More skeletal warriors and archers. The sword shard must have awoken these beings as well. We will have to deal with them to get through." said Valla.

"Take heed. Those bones are ancient. They must be the dead Nephalem of the past. They will prove to be more difficult to lay to rest." said Xul. With him being a Necromancer, everyone made sure to listen well to his words. He would know better then most the strength of the dead.

They moved forward cautiously but they were spotted as soon as they crossed the bridge, and had to engage them. Sonya and Johanna were joined by Kharazim this time on the front lines engaging them directly and they were followed by Xul's golem right after. These skeletons were indeed stronger than those they fought previously within the cathedral. The majority of these risen warriors were nearly on the level of the champion monsters they had faced before, so they were not falling very easily. However, the incident with Naruto was still fresh in their minds, but instead of clouding their judgment, the memory of his pained screams seemed to make them more focused.

Li-Ming, Nazeebo, Valla, Sonya, and Johanna kept remembering the times he put himself in danger to protect them, or when he would take over the battle when they were becoming overwhelmed. None of them really believed that they deserved the distinction of being called Nephalem when Naruto had clearly been the more capable fighter, and has impacted the lives of so many people across Sanctuary already. Despite his, at times, childish demeanor, they all believed that he was someone special, someone they would follow without hesitation. Because of this they could feel their resolve steadily gaining strength. They didn't want to have to be protected or forced to watch from the sidelines as their friend burdened himself with everything.

They have been fighting alongside him the longest, but they always felt that he was still just watching over them, making sure they were safe; so his mind was always on two things at once. They wanted to get stronger, _needed_ to get stronger so that he wouldn't have to divide his focus and worry about protecting them. They wanted to be strong enough so that he would believe in them to take care of themselves.

Their resolve was starting to become clear, as they fought with an intensity they have yet to see in themselves. Kharazim and Xul could feel the surging energies of their comrades and the greater ferocity in which they fought and they fed off that feeling, urging their own bodies not to fall behind. All their instincts were on high alert as the battle soon became a one-sided onslaught that their enemies could not overcome.

Alaric was watching the fight from a distance and what he saw only reaffirmed to him that the Nephalem had indeed returned to Sanctuary once again. As the last of their enemies fell he approached them as they took the short reprieve to catch their breath.

"Can you see it now? Can you _feel_ it within you? Your strength rivals that of our greatest champions. What _now_ do you think you are?"

"It's still not enough. This level of power still does not compare to his. He will _always_ be several steps in front of us. But… as long as he lets me stand beside him, on my own two feet, I won't stop getting stronger. I _won't_." said Li-Ming.

"Well spoken. You will make your ancestors proud. I just hope this man you speak so highly of, lives up to your expectations." With that said Alaric turned towards a wall and with a hand gesture lowered it down for them to pass through. And just beyond that wall was the sword shard, stabbed within a small crater, they were searching for.

"How did…" Before Li-Ming could finish her question of how he knew what they were looking for, Alaric's form had already disappeared.

Valla did not wait for the others and moved to retrieve it and put the shard inside her quiver again. "Let us hurry and make our way back, it is probably getting dark outside. Hopefully that idiot is up by now."

Having got what they came for, there was no need to stay any longer, and they _did_ want to get back quickly to make sure Naruto and the others were okay. It didn't take them too long to get back and they could see that the companions they left behind were having a conversation, including Naruto, but he was still laid on the ground, much to their worry.

"Friend Naruto, how do you fare?" asked Sonya.

"Yo! What's up guys, everything went okay in there?"

"Yes, we have the shard, but how are you feeling?" said Johanna.

"I'm doing great!"

"Then why are you still on the ground? Idiot." said Valla.

"Oh that! I'm just… you know, making sure the ground is balanced. Xul knows what I'm talking about!" Xul just gave him a blank stare, not amused in the slightest about him referencing his people's goal of upholding the balance. "O-kay."

"And here I thought this experience would mature you some."

"So mean, Johanna."

"What should we do now? We don't know where the last piece of the shard could be." said Leah.

"It is getting too late to continue searching, especially without any leads, and Naruto is in no condition to travel right now. We have two of the shards in our possession, so even if the Coven gets their hands on the third they can do nothing with it. So we don't have to worry about it too much right now. Let us go back to town to rest." said Valla.

"How are we going to get back with…"

"Don't worry Leah. I can still use my chakra, for the most part. Everyone just uh… stick a foot underneath me I guess. As long as we're in contact my Hiraishin will still work. Hey! Don't kick me!" When Naruto looked to see who it was that basically kicked him while putting their foot underneath his side, he saw Li-Ming, who hadn't said anything to him since they got back, staring at him with an unreadable expression. _'Crap. She's mad at me.'_ He could tell she was upset with him and thought best to not antagonize her any further, so he said nothing. Once he felt they were all ready, he used the Hiraishin and they were all back in the town square.

* * *

"Oh my! They really _can_ pop out of nowhere."

"Yes, it really surprised me the first time I saw them do that."

"I take it you all had an… _enlightening_ experience."

"You could say that." As they all moved away from Naruto, Myriam and Mira could see Naruto lying on the ground at their feet, and Li-Ming headed straight for the inn still without saying anything to him.

"Oh no! Naruto, are you hurt?"

"Hey Mira, Myriam. Don't worry, I'm alright. I just need to rest a bit and I'll be good as new!"

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Well, we have dinner waiting for you all right here. It is a recipe of Myriam's, you should all eat and fill your bellies."

"It is a traditional Vecin stew called janija. Help yourselves, Mira helped Myriam make plenty!"

"All you guys go ahead, I just need to rest right now. And can someone take some to Li-Ming? I'm sure she's hungry too."

"I'll take a bowl to her. I'm probably going straight to bed afterward and my room _is_ in the inn, so."

"Thanks Leah."

"No problem."

"And for Kharazim, Xul and Lyndon, there should be some empty rooms in the bunker for you to stay in as well, so make yourselves at home!"

"Will do!"

"That is appreciated."

"Thank you."

"Would you like me to carry you to your room Naruto?" said Sonya.

"Nah, it's alright. That's what clones are for!" After a simple hand-sign and a poof of smoke later a single clone was standing beside Naruto looking down at him. A moment later the clone grabbed one of his ankles and started to drag him to the door of the bunker. "What are you doing?! Carry me you idiot!"

"Hmm, don't really feel like it, this is easier."

"I hate you clones _so_ much!"

"No you don't. If you hate _us_ then you hate _yourself_ , but we all know how narcissistic you are."

" _You're_ narcissistic!"

"Exactly, you're not as dumb as people think you are."

"Why me?!" Everyone just sat there around the campfire with food in hand watching and listening to Naruto argue with his clone. When they made it to the bunker entrance they could hear his head bouncing off the steps as they went down and Naruto's continued cursing at his clone.

"Every time I see him interact with his clones, it always turns into something weird or disturbing. I don't think I'll ever get used to it." said Valla.

"I… have to agree. It is the first time I have seen a man argue with himself without it being inside his own head. He has a… _curious_ personality." said Kharazim.

"That's putting it mildly." The group lapsed into silence as they ate, and Mira and Myriam said their goodnights as they went to their own wagons to get to sleep. Kharazim had been thinking about the words some of the others had spoken earlier and wanted to ask about it, as he looked towards Sonya and Johanna.

"The words you and the Wizard spoke of earlier, to the Nephalem spirit. Are they true?"

"Do you mean when we spoke of Naruto being more worthy of the title of Nephalem?" said Johanna.

"Yes."

"Every word we spoke held no deceit. Naruto, is unlike any warrior I have ever witnessed. The ease in which battle comes to him is unparalleled. Having fought side by side with him on the front lines, I have seen no real urgency in his movements during combat, and his breathing always remains calm and steady. It may sound strange, but sometimes he looks almost lazy during a fight. Even when he gets injured or takes crippling blows, it has never really subdued him for very long at all. Until now that is." said Sonya.

"It's true. When the time comes for you to bask in his light, you will understand. When I first stood within its presence, I felt it in the core of my very being. He is far more capable than he allows us to see." said Johanna.

"I have to agree with them. I saw his power firsthand. Right before my eyes, he erased an entire mountain, and it did not even put any strain on him that I could see. It was incredible and terrifying. He may act like an idiot, but he is not an enemy I would wish to make."

"I see. If this is true but he was denied the distinction of Nephalem, then… what _is_ he?"

No one there could give a definitive answer to that question. They have heard him say that he's a sage but he has never used what he calls his sage techniques during a fight. He has only used it to heal people. Those that have known him the longest just realized that they don't really know very much about him, like who his people were or their history. And all previous conversations with him makes them recognize that he knows very little about Sanctuary at all. Whoever their mysterious comrade is, they just hope that the trust and faith they put in him isn't misplaced.


	11. Chapter 11

AN: Really don't know what to say about my absence, but a combination of writers block, being busy, and just trying to put this chapter together is the main cause of it. Still can't believe it's my first update of this story this year.

The big reason this chapter was so hard for me to put together is that this is a key point in the story that I wanted in the plot since I first started to write this. So I've been thinking about this event for a long time. It didn't come out exactly like I first envisioned it but I am pretty happy with the way it turned out. Some of you might disagree with me and I'm sorry if you won't like what I've done here, but this was something I felt needed to happen.

Also, I didn't really want to end the chapter where I did but I think it would have been too long and I didn't want to keep you all waiting anymore, so it kind of ends on a cliffhanger, but not really. I just think some of you will be annoyed that some of the things from last chapter won't be answered in this chapter, sorry.

Anyway, thank all of you for sticking around.

* * *

Chapter 11

The following day inside of New Tristram, Naruto was up and fully recovered from the internal damage he took from the ancient temple. It was after mid morning and the others were keeping busy out of and around town, but their thoughts were still plagued by the mystery surrounding Naruto. As he sat in front of the campfire in the middle of town, still trying to get the sleep out of his eyes, he soon realized he was not alone.

"Well good morning sleeping beauty! You slept well, yes?"

"(yawn) Ah, Myriam. Haha, you could say that. I guess I woke up kind of late huh?"

"Not at all. After what the others told us you endured last night, I think you deserved some extra rest. I'm actually surprised you're up at all today. Are you feeling all better now?"

"Haha, I heal pretty fast so I'm good to go!"

"That's wonderful! I bet you're hungry aren't you? There are still left overs from breakfast. You should eat and regain more of that _impressive_ strength of yours I have heard so much about."

"Thanks! Skipping dinner really gave me an appetite." Naruto moved to get some food still in a warm skillet next to the fire which looked to be some eggs mixed with some various meats and vegetables and began eating. Myriam sat there along with him and he could see her giving him a curious look as if she were trying to study him. Naruto didn't much care for long silences and he hadn't really talked much to the mystic since she and her two companions got there, so he thought he would strike up a conversation. "So, people been talking about me huh? I hope nothing bad."

"Oh nonsense! The villagers here _adore_ you and your friends. All the adults are so grateful that you have given them hope and safety for their families. I could easily see that all the children look up to you and your companions like heroes since they talk about you so much. I saw them playing warriors and monsters and most of the boys fight over who gets to be you! Haha, I even overheard a few of the older girls talking about the dreamy blonde warrior and how heroic he is. You prince charming you! I am sure their parents would immediately approve if you wanted to court any of them. I am sure they would love to have you in their family, or even be a part of _yours_."

"Haha! That's, a little embarrassing but I appreciate that, but they're still young, and I attract too much danger to myself. And I'm sorry to say, but I can't settle down any time soon. There's a lot of dangers still out there so I can't stay in one place for too long. Our journey has really only begun and there is still a lot that has to get done."

"Yes, I understand all too well what lies ahead of you. And those poor young ladies are probably too late to stake their claim anyway." Myriam said the last part more to herself as Naruto was still eating and didn't completely hear her.

"Huh? What was that last part?"

"Nothing, just a feeling I had… You know, I did have a very interesting conversation with Mira yesterday."

"Oh yeah? Do you and Mira know each other?"

"Not until yesterday, but when I first saw her I could immediately tell that she had the sight. She is a mystic just like me, but she is still young and inexperienced and does not know everything that being a mystic entails. You see, I am of the Vecin people, a nomadic group that originates from Kehjistan. We are very spiritual and we simply love to live! We believe that every moment is precious and we should live our lives to the fullest! Whenever we meet new people we always try to spread our joy and love of life! Let me tell you, if you ever run into a Vecin wagon train be sure to stay for one of their celebrations! It will truly be a night to remember!"

"Your people really sound like a lot of fun. You think you can spread some of that joy to Xul? He always looks so… _gloomy_."

"Oh believe me I have tried! But don't worry, I'll be sure to break through that shell of his one day."

"I'll try to help with that as best I can but you'll probably have a better chance than me. So what did you and Mira speak about yesterday?"

"Just a little something about the young man who saved the villagers altering her fate a short while ago."

"She told you about that huh? I'm not one to really believe in fate, so I don't think I did anything really impressive."

Myriam's demeanor suddenly turned serious regarding their current topic. " _That_ is where you are wrong. What you did for her and her husband Haedrig is nothing to scoff at. Any mystic could only dream of having a tragic vision of theirs undone. All us mystics can ever do is grin and bear the burden that our visions give us."

"That sounds pretty rough. You shouldn't have to suffer silently like that. Your people must be strong to be so lively like you say."

"Thank you. Many people believe the Vecin, or mystics in particular, to be cursed and try to avoid contact with us as much as possible."

"Is it because of the accuracy of your visions? We had a short discussion about mystics before, and I was told that the majority of your visions are highly accurate and often become reality."

"No. That is not the reason why they say we are cursed, at least not entirely. It is because of _who_ our visions affect, is why they fear us. You see, our visions tend to be of those who are closest to us, and more often then not our visions tend to show us unfortunate outcomes. That is not to say our visions always end in tragedy, many visions bring us joy as well. But that is the main reason we are nomads. Not many cities or lands will tolerate our presence for too long. They allow us to restock supplies and sell our wares or offer our services for a few days or weeks if we're lucky, depending on the city or village, and then they expect us to be gone before too long."

"That's not right. You shouldn't have to be forced to roam around, especially with how dangerous it's getting these days."

"That is true, but that is all we have known and the Vecin do love to travel; see new places and meet new faces, so it isn't all bad for my people. I do fear for their safety, but demons and the like are more interested in the more populous areas, so they aren't in as much danger as we think. And we also have our ways to defend ourselves, we are hardly ever alone."

"That's good to hear. Speaking of not being alone, how did you end up with Kharazim and Xul of all people? They seem like an odd pair to be working together."

"Haha! Yes, they don't share many similarities do they? But our story is nothing grand. They just saved me from a small horde of demons and cultists within the outskirts of the southern Aranoch deserts just over two weeks ago. I believe my blood was in high demand to use in their rituals."

"I've heard that before, there was some cultists going after the Oracles on Skovos because of their blood, but that kind of sounds like a big deal."

"Haha, when you have the sight like I do, nothing is too surprising anymore. I knew I would be saved by two strong warriors so I had nothing to fear really. Kharazim and Xul were nearby and came to my rescue and made easy work of my attackers. It was quite fortunate for all three of us that we found each other actually. Kharazim was running low on water and supplies, really bad thing to do in the desert, and Xul had never been to the western half of Sanctuary so he was a little out of his element and in need of some direction. I was more than happy to supply my two saviors with food and drink and act as their guide on their way to New Tristram."

"Sound like things really worked out for all three of you in the end, but why were you out on your own in the first place?"

"I usually travel on my own for the most part. I was a wild child even for _my_ people. I just wanted to see new places and meet knew people on my own so that is what I did. Oh the stories I could tell you! Haha, they are not for the ears of children to say the least."

"Ha, I'll take your word for it… Hey, uh, did you see the others when they got up this morning? I just wanted to know how they were all doing. I kind of got a weird vibe from them last night. Just wondering if you noticed anything."

"Hmm… Well, now that you mention it, they were rather quiet at breakfast, but then again Kharazim and Xul are usually quiet and I don't know the others well enough to tell if that was out of the ordinary. But to me it did look like they all had a lot on their minds, like they were distracted."

"I see."

"Did something happen last night?"

"You could say that… They all found out they are Nephalem, aside from Kormac and Lyndon. They're probably just processing it all, letting it sink in."

"Is that all?"

"Uh… I think so."

"Haha, you are a terrible liar aren't you?"

"What?! I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Hahaha, I can see it on your face! That is so cute!" All Myriam got in response from Naruto was some unintelligible grumbling, giving her more evidence against him. She decided to take pity on him and give him some advice. "I don't know what happened last night, but let me tell you something. Your companions, they're strong!"

"Yeah, I know they are."

"No, I'm not talking about their bodies. Their minds are equally as strong, I can see it. Do not doubt them."

Naruto understood what Myriam was trying to tell him. They all have experience under their belts so they wouldn't act irrationally from him revealing his story, that he should trust in them.

"I understand. You're right, even if we haven't known each other too long, I do trust them, and I even think of them as family now. They are all important to me so they deserve to know about my past. Even with you, Kharazim, Xul and Lyndon, whom we just met, I get the feeling our little family is _still_ growing, so I don't think I have too much to worry about by telling all of you either."

"Hahaha! I love it! A man after my own heart! If only I were twenty years younger I would have already staked my claim on you!"

"Haha! I'm flattered, but why do you say that?"

" _Family!_ Family is the most important thing! With the world the way it is, people tend to be afraid of making those important connections with others. You don't have to share the same blood to be family, you can create your own by just meeting new people and getting to know and trust them. I would _love_ to be a part of your growing family!"

"Well, we'd love to have you Myriam. I think… I'll tell them tonight. It's probably the sooner the better right?"

"Yes, I believe so."

"I'll just give them some space right now and let them think things over on their own to gather their thoughts. I gotta collect my own too and think of what to say and how to say it. I'll try to get some work done too, and try to find that last shard. Can't forget about _that_."

"Do what you think is best."

"I will. Thanks for the talk Myriam."

"Oh, the pleasure was all mine!"

"Hehe, I'll see you later."

"Indeed. I can't wait to hear your story."

* * *

After Naruto left Myriam, he decided to try and make use of the withermoths one more time to see if they could continue to scout for the last sword shard. After he made contact again with the giant insects in the Weeping Hollow, he sent out some clones as well to try and broaden the search. As he reentered New Tristram he was assaulted by a gaggle of excited children who had seen him coming and were excited to see their hero safe, as they heard from Leah earlier that he was sleeping in due to injury the previous night.

Naruto was happy to entertain the children as they dragged him to the playground that he upgraded himself during the first few days they were in Tristram. Before he came, their playground only had a small barren field with a broken down swing set and sand box. He easily replaced those two with a bigger sand box with fresh sand and a swing set with a few more swings on it, and he also made them an elaborate jungle gym to play on. He even made two tree houses that could easily house several children at once and were connected by a simple rope bridge that was safe for them to run across, and they both had their own slide that they could use to get down. The children made plenty use of their new playground everyday since then and their parents were grateful for it too since it could keep them occupied for hours.

As they were playing, Naruto noticed two newcomers slowly approaching the playground. It was Elizabeth and her little brother Jacob holding hands. They decided to just sit on a nearby bench and watch the others play, but Naruto wasn't satisfied with that. He could tell they wanted to play but they were still hurting from their parents loss and maybe just didn't have the energy to participate just yet. He was glad they were at least getting outside from one of the houses of their three caregivers, showing they were taking small steps to get back to a sense of normalcy.

Naruto approached the two with a wide grin on his face, happy to see them. "Hey you two! Did you want to play?"

""Hi Naruto/hello."" said Elizabeth and Jacob.

"Do you want to play?"

"… No, it's okay. We'll just watch."

"Are you surrrrrrrre?" Naruto gave them a wider grin as he crouched to their level and quickly moved his hands to their sides to begin tickling them, getting them to laugh and squirm.

""Hahahahahaha!""

"Haha! S-stop, it tickles, it tickles!" said Elizabeth.

Naruto stopped after a little while to let them catch their breaths. They each had smiles on their faces as they were still giggling a little after he stopped. "Do you want to play now?"

Elizabeth gave Naruto a halfhearted pout and glare as she turned her head away and refused to give in. "No!"

"No!" Jacob followed suit after his sister, pout and all, to show a strong united front.

Naruto gave a sigh at their stubbornness, but maybe they weren't ready to play with the other kids right away. Maybe he could get them to open up a bit more if it was just him. "Hey, how about we do something fun together? Just the three of us, well and a clone, but it's still me. What do you say?"

"Like what?" asked Elizabeth.

"How about a piggy back ride?"

"That doesn't sound so fun."

"Yeah, that's not so fun." said Jacob agreeing with his sister.

"Oh, but you underestimate me! I guarantee this will be the best piggy back ride you've ever had!"

"Hmm… Okay."

"Okay."

"Great! Let me just say goodbye to the other kids and we'll have some fun, okay?"

""Okay.""

Naruto said his goodbyes to the other children much to their disappointment and then created a clone to take Elizabeth while he took Jacob onto his back. "You two hold on tight okay. I want you two to trust me. I won't let anything hurt you, so don't be scared." The two children gave him nods that they understood and were ready to go. "Here we go!"

Naruto and his clone then leapt into the surrounding trees and began running at a light genin's pace so not to scare the two siblings. When he first jumped and took off, the two kids yelped in a bit of surprise, but as soon as they got going they were laughing and having fun watching everything underneath them pass by so fast. They enjoyed the air blowing through their hair and being high up off the ground got them a little scared but they knew Naruto would keep them safe.

Naruto and his clone were only running around the woods surrounding New Tristram and he made sure to keep them away from any dangerous wildlife and he definitely kept his senses out for demons to make sure he would avoid those as well if there were any nearby, fortunately there weren't any. They were having so much fun and laughing and yelling for him to go faster or higher. He did some acrobatic flips as well which they enjoyed and yelled for him to do more. After about thirty or so minutes he and his clone headed back to the village as he could tell they were getting a bit tired from all the excitement and it was about time for them to eat lunch. When they were on the edge of the woods before they hit the village he and his clone leapt high into the air giving the two kids a nice view of the village from up high.

""Whoa!"" The siblings saw all the villagers going about doing their own work, the guards at the gates and watch towers, and they could see the roofs of the buildings; it was the first time they ever saw the village like this. As they came down, they landed on the roof of the Slaughtered Calf Inn and Naruto and the clone let them stand on their own. The clone soon dispelled and Naruto made sure to hold their hands to make sure they didn't slip off.

"Well, was that the best piggy back ride you've ever had or what?!"

""Yeah!"" The brother and sister were still excited as they went into detail of all the things they did. You couldn't really understand them as they spoke simultaneously, but Naruto got the gist of what they were getting at.

"Hahaha! I'm glad you two had fun!"

After the excitement started leaving their systems, as if a switch had flipped, they suddenly found themselves remembering their parents and they went back to that depressing mood, but they weren't crying anymore. Naruto knew they wouldn't forget their troubles just like that, but he wanted to give them some happy memories to try and tell them that they _can_ be happy again. It would just take time. Naruto hugged the siblings to his torso as he gently rubbed their backs to give them some reassurance and spoke to them.

"Hey, you two are going to be alright. There are plenty of happy times ahead of you, so be strong. Today you showed me there's still plenty of laughter in you." He gave them a little tickle on their sides again, giving them a small fit of giggles. "See? You still have each other, and remember there are people here who care about you too. I hope you know that I'm one of them, okay?" They both nodded into his sides telling him that they understand.

"Elizabeth! Jacob! Oh no, where could they be? Elizabeth! Jacob!" Naruto looked down into the middle of the town square to see a frantic Corliss looking for the two children by his side, he knew this wasn't going to end well.

"Uh-oh. Um, hey Corliss! Up here!"

"Huh?" Corliss looked up towards the voice that called out to her and to her shock she found the two children she was looking for on the roof of the inn with Naruto. "What on Sanctuary are you doing with the children up there?! Do you know how dangerous that is?! Get down here this instant!"

Naruto looked down at the kids as they looked to be a bit scared that they were in trouble. "Haha, don't worry you two, she's yelling at _me_." While Corliss was still yelling in the background, Naruto leaned down to whisper to the siblings. "See? Didn't I say there were others who care about you?" Elizabeth and Jacob couldn't help the smile that came to their faces as Corliss has indeed been taking care of them, with the help of Alden and Mildred, and with her being so worried about them now, they know she's thinking about them _because_ she cares.

Naruto picked them up by their waists and jumped off the roof which made Corliss yell at him even more for scaring her. As all three of them stood there, everyone in town was witness to their hero being chewed out by a demure widow for being reckless and not telling anyone he was taking the children in the first place. All the while, Naruto had his head bowed and apologized for all the wrongdoings he was accused of. Naruto knew better than to argue with a protective mother, or in this case a mother figure, as he's had to endure these types of tongue-lashings from Hinata, Himawari and his daughter-in-law; he used to do similar things with his own kids, before becoming Hokage, and his grandchildren. As long as he could make his kids, his grandchildren, or in this case these two orphans, smile and laugh he could endure a harsh scolding. Totally worth it.

* * *

After about a five minute tirade about children and responsibility, Corliss took the siblings by the hands to take them to Alden's house that had been repaired outside the town walls to get them some lunch to eat. The two children turned around to look at Naruto with happy smiles on their faces and waved goodbye to him. Naruto waved back, glad to see them in higher spirits as they were taken away.

"Having a little trouble with the locals I see."

Naruto turned around to see Valla exiting the Slaughtered Calf Inn as she just finished having lunch herself when she heard the woman tearing into Naruto. She had a slightly amused expression on her face as she heard everything Corliss had to say.

"I guess you could say that. So… how's it going?" Valla indicated to Naruto to follow her as they walked towards the village entrance so they wouldn't be standing in the middle of the village square.

"I should be the one asking you that, but since it looks like you were just out having fun with those children, I think it's safe to assume you're in good health."

"Yup, I'm doing fine now." Naruto had a pensive expression as he walked beside Valla, and she quickly took notice of this.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Well, I just thought that you might be suspicious of me. After what happened last night I could tell everyone was a little rattled. It looked like everyone had a lot of questions on their mind."

"And you would be right. We _do_ have a lot of questions."

"Then why aren't you asking any?" By this time, Valla and Naruto were already walking up the sloping road they came from leading to New Tristram. After a few moments they were overlooking the village, where they could have a private conversation.

"Because… I don't really see any reason for it."

"What do you mean?"

"… At the end of our little mission together, saving those people from the Coven off the coast of Philios, you destroyed their base. Completely." Naruto wasn't quite sure where she was going with this but he stayed quiet to let her speak. "I had never seen anything like it before. I admit, you scared me. I couldn't rest at all when I went into those captain's quarters. All I could think about was what kind of monsters you had to fight to become that powerful. To become a monster yourself."

Naruto made no indication he was offended by her words as he held a calm but unrevealing expression. He let Valla continue uninterrupted as they continued to look on over the village.

"I seriously thought for a brief moment if I should kill you; someone with that kind of power is too dangerous to allow to roam free. I had no idea what your true intentions were but I thought it might be better to be safe than sorry. But… once I started thinking more clearly, I realized my mind was clouded by fear. What you did for all those people that day wasn't something someone with evil intentions would do. And the more I got to know you on our brief journey back to Philios, through either yourself or through your clones, I realized you weren't a monster, just an idiot."

Naruto had an earsplitting grin on his face as he heard those words, because it was the first time she called him an idiot without being completely derisive. Her tone held a somewhat affectionate feeling, not completely, but coming from Valla she might as well be calling him her best friend it was so surprising.

"And idiots like you are too genuine to be up to no good. Getting to know you all these weeks, I can honestly say that I have never met anyone like you before, and probably never will again. So the reason I'm not asking you any questions is because no matter where you come from or what your past is, I already have a general idea of what kind of person you are. So everything else is ultimately irrelevant at this point."

"… Valla."

"What?"

"I wanna hug you."

"No."

Naruto had his arms out wide trying to coax her into giving him a hug. "Come on!~ This is a big moment! I feel like we're becoming better friends! Can't you feel it?!"

"Shut up."

"I'm gonna hug you."

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I really am." Naruto began moving closer to Valla with his arms still spread out wide and that wide grin all over his face, and Valla began taking steps back away from him as she narrowed her eyes.

"I will hurt you."

"I can take it."

Valla made a run for it away from the village back down the road where they first came from to get to New Tristram. She already knew she couldn't outrun him, but she definitely wanted to make damn sure nobody had a chance of seeing this embarrassing moment, so she made sure to get out of sight of the village. Naruto gave chase but letting her get a head start before he would catch her. When Valla felt Naruto getting too close she let out a fan of knives behind her to try and pin him to a tree but he unfortunately dodged it.

"Don't fight it Valla! There's nothing to be embarrassed about!" Without warning Naruto suddenly appeared right in front of Valla with his arms spread out and her eyes went wide since he gave her no room to evade and no chance to stop before she ran into him. Once she hit his chest he immediately wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up, giving her a giant bear hug and squeezing her tight while swinging her side to side. Valla gave him an icy glare as she clenched her teeth in frustration of being unable to avoid his idiocy.

"You will regret this!"

After a few moments Naruto finally released her and he still had that big grin. "See, that wasn't so bad was it? That didn't kill you."

Valla just continued to glare at Naruto but after a moment it lessened to a neutral expression. Naruto thought she was calming down but unknown to him she was preparing her payback. Before he could say anything he felt something crawl up his pant leg and something else crawl into his jacket. Then they started biting.

"Ow! What the hell is that?! No! Not there, not there! Ow!" Naruto then started rolling on the floor as whatever they were continued to bite him in various places as he was still yelling out in minor pain. After several minutes, a pair of ferrets ran out of Naruto's clothes and perched up onto either of Valla's shoulders after doing their mistress' biding. Naruto soon slowly started to stand up after that unpleasant moment and stared at the two ferrets with a glare and then Valla with an annoyed expression. "That was uncalled for."

"So was that hug. When I tell you not to hug me, _don't_ hug me."

Naruto continued to stare at Valla and without notice he dove in and gave her another quick hug, and her two ferrets tried to lunge forward to bite his cheeks but he was able to get back and ran for it back to the village.

"I regret nothing!"

"Tch. I don't think so." Valla quickly took out a set of bolas and quickly threw them catching Naruto around the ankles as he quickly fell forward face first into the dirt. Naruto managed to roll onto his back and gave Valla a nervous smile as she stood over him with a light glare on her face and her two ferrets began hissing at him.

"Haha haa… I'm not apologizing."

"I wasn't expecting you to, but before I let you go; if you speak of our conversation here to anybody or god forbid those hugs, I will shoot you. Do you understand?"

"Hehe, don't worry, you won't hear a peep out of me."

"Good." Valla dismissed her ferrets as they faded away into a dark smoke and she began walking back to the village.

"Valla." She stopped to look back when Naruto called out to her, noticing his voice had a more calm and serious tone. "Thank you for being honest with me. I'm really glad to hear that you trust me this much, and I promise that I'll return the favor soon."

She didn't respond back verbally but she nodded her head at him telling him that she understands, and continued on her way back to the village. Naruto just laid there staring at the sky. That conversation gave him a bit of relief, knowing his new friends might not be as distrustful of him as he initially thought. He's not really sure why he waited this long but there never seemed to be a right time for it, but very soon he'll try to quell their doubts.

* * *

Several members of Naruto's group were outside the village and back in the farmlands they helped liberate the day before. The farmers had come to New Tristram in the morning asking for supplies and aid to get the farmlands and their houses up and running again as soon as possible. Many of the village men volunteered to help but also the more physical members of their group volunteered to help as well. Meaning, Sonya, Johanna, Kormac and Kharazim went out to help move more of the heavier debris and supplies they would need help with. Li-Ming also volunteered to go as well seeing as she could use her magic to help repair some of the smaller things inside their homes such as any glass items or torn fabrics and anything else that was salvageable.

That was part of the reason Li-Ming went with the others in the morning, the other part was that she didn't want to see Naruto right now. She was angry and upset last night, but after a meal and small conversation with Leah she had calmed down somewhat, but part of her was still upset with him.

* * *

(Flashback: Slaughtered Calf Inn)

" _Hey Li-Ming. Are you doing okay? You just took off without saying anything."_

" _I'm fine."_

"… _Well here, you should eat something. I don't think you guys have eaten since breakfast." Leah then placed a bowl of the stew that Myriam and Mira made in front of Li-Ming._

" _Thank you Leah. I suppose I_ should _eat something." The two women proceeded to eat while continuing to converse._

" _Don't mention it, Naruto asked me to bring you some because he thought you could use something to eat."_

"… _He did, did he? And what about him, did he eat anything?"_

" _No, he said he just needed to rest, and decided to skip dinner."_

" _Hmph. Idiot, always worrying about everyone but himself."_

" _Yeah, I know what you mean. But I think that's what I admire about him the most."_

" _I'm sorry Leah, but this world is too cruel for somebody to be so selfless. I may sound heartless, but if you keep giving and giving and giving without being at least a little selfish, it will take everything away from you. You can't survive forever like that without taking something back."_

"… _You have lost many important things haven't you?"_

" _Yes."_

" _I'm sorry."_

" _Don't be. I got over it."_

" _You're afraid of losing something else, aren't you?"_

"… _Isn't everybody?"_

" _Yes, I suppose you're right. Sanctuary gets scarier and more dangerous everyday. Demons, monsters, and men alike are taking more lives all the time. And I do agree with you somewhat that giving everything you have will yield very little for yourself in return but… I think Sanctuary has been waiting for someone like Naruto."_

" _What do you mean?"_

" _Hearing your stories of the things you've done alongside him gives me more hope for the future. And it isn't just me either, everyone in town loves him, and all of you as well. Giving all of the townsfolk a second chance makes them feel like things are not as bleak as they thought. Seeing all of you work so hard for them makes the villagers want to work hard for themselves. I have seen the aftermath of demons on other villages, and no matter how hard I tried to help those that survived, they just couldn't recover from something like that. But here is a different story, he's got the town smiling again even after losing so many family and friends. Some of the villagers have told me that they don't think there's anyway for them to_ say _how much they appreciate everything you've all done, so they want to_ show _you by trying to put their lives back together and move forward."_

" _They said that?"_

" _Yes! You're all heroes here, not just Naruto! Everybody appreciates everything you've done. I've never seen a village regain its spirit so soon after a tragedy like this! I can really see why you're all considered Nephalem."_

" _Not all of us."_

"… _You mean Naruto."_

" _Don't you find it strange that_ he _of all people was rejected by that temple? Sonya and Johanna were right, he is a stronger fighter than us. His rapid healing alone puts him on a different level than us already. And yet he was nearly killed because he is not a Nephalem. I was the first of our group to have met him, and I still know hardly anything about him. Whenever I have tried to get him to speak about his past, not even about topics that are too personal, all I receive are vague answers or he avoids the questions altogether. He has been hiding something this entire time and its gotten to the point where I'm not sure I can trust him anymore."_

" _I see. You're right, it is strange that he isn't a Nephalem and I know even less about him than you or the others, but I still believe in him."_

" _That's very naive Leah. You can't just blindly trust someone you know nothing about."_

" _I know that, but my intuition tells me I can trust him. And I think deep down yours is telling you the same thing, but that sharp mind of yours and past experience is trying to convince you otherwise. Just think of all the things he's done, the things you've personally seen him do. Naruto definitely has a good heart, and I'm sure he'll open up eventually. Maybe he's just scared or worried."_

" _About what?"_

" _I don't know, the past can be difficult for some to relive. Maybe he just needs some time. Well, I'll be getting to bed now. Goodnight Li-Ming, I'll see you in the morning."_

" _Yes, goodnight Leah." Li-Ming sat there with her empty bowl, thinking over Leah's words._ 'Hm, maybe she's right. I guess I have always been an impatient woman. I suppose it won't hurt to give Naruto some more time, but he better not make me wait too long!'

* * *

'(sigh) _No use thinking about it anymore. I'm going to see him eventually, but I'm definitely going to give him a piece of my mind.'_ Li-Ming was brought out of her musings by the wife of the house she was helping put back together.

"Oh thank you so much! I know these are just little trinkets to most, but these were my grandmother's and are very special to me. Thank you so much for putting them back together!"

"Oh! Don't mention it, I'm glad I could be of some help to you."

"You and your allies are godsends to us! It would have taken us weeks to clear out all the debris and start rebuilding, but now we can rebuild as early as tomorrow! I truly thank you from the bottom of my heart!"

"You are most very welcome my lady." Li-Ming couldn't hold back her smile at just how happy she could make a woman by just repairing some old heirlooms. It felt good to help someone piece their life back together, even from just a small gesture. Maybe that's why Naruto does it, to see the joy return to those who had some misfortune cast upon them.

Li-Ming then realized that a part of her has changed ever since she met Naruto. She couldn't see herself doing something so trivial as putting together some old trinkets with her magic some months ago. Not that she was a heartless person before, but using her magic for something so mundane just would have never crossed her mind. She would have thought to use her talents for more important things instead of this. But here she was offering her services without any second thought, and she knows Naruto is the reason behind it.

* * *

It was some hours later in the early evening that everyone was gathered around the campfire, conversing with each other and waiting for their meal to finish cooking, but a certain blonde sage was absent as he went out himself to look for leads on that last shard after his talk with Valla.

Li-Ming and her group just got back not too long before from helping those farmers prepare to repair their homes. Nazeebo had been out on a self imposed mission to the Cathedral as he performed rituals throughout the area to keep the spirits calm so they could finally find rest. Valla and Xul had opted to stay within the town to help guard from anything unexpected, just to keep the townspeople at ease.

Lyndon was also in town but he spent the majority of his time at the bar in the Slaughtered Calf Inn trying to regale some of the local women with stories of his heroics. He unfortunately didn't get much reaction since they were more interested in what he could tell them about Naruto. But he had just met the sage the day before so he couldn't tell them much. This in turn caused the women to devolve into their own stories and various rumors about the blonde, much to Lyndon's chagrin.

Haedrig, his wife Mira, and Myriam were also there around the campfire enjoying the small talk and getting more familiar with everyone. Haedrig was enjoying a few beers after a hard day of working the forge and anvil, making sure everyone's weapons and armor were in top condition. Leah was there as well as she had continued to help around town where needed throughout the day until now. She had to drag her uncle and the stranger, who was with Cain throughout the day, away from studying the two sword shards to get something to eat. Cain spent most of the day researching and trying anything he could to jog the stranger's memory, but had proved unfruitful so far.

"Has anyone seen Naruto?" asked Leah.

"He told me this morning he was going to look for that last shard." said Myriam.

"What?! How could he be so reckless, he can't be fully recovered after what happened last night!"

"He's fine. I saw him in the afternoon after he spent some time playing with those two orphans he saved. We had a private conversation out of town and I left him down the road south of here." said Valla.

"He didn't tell you if he was going anywhere?"

"He didn't. But there is no use worrying over him. Whatever he's doing, he'll be fine."

"I hope so."

With the mention of Naruto, the others lapsed into a bit of silence as they thought about the blonde enigma. Like Valla; Nazeebo, Sonya and Johanna decided on their own that they would give Naruto the benefit of the doubt. He had done nothing for them to just suddenly distrust him, but they could not deny that they were curious about his life, and they silently hoped that he would trust them enough to divulge at least a portion of it to them. To Leah, Cain, Haedrig and Mira, they didn't really need too much convincing since he saved the lives of their loved ones; to them that was really all they needed to keep their faith in him. The others there who have not known Naruto for very long just wanted some reassurance that he was somebody they could truly trust.

For Li-Ming, Naruto's intentions were never really in question for her; she had already determined long ago that his character was genuine. She was upset because she honestly just wanted to know more about him. And she was mad because he kept spouting things about them being friends, and even family, but he was still keeping secrets from them. Didn't being a part of a family mean that you could open up to each other? She just thought he was being hypocritical by saying everyone was important to him but still not allowing them to know who he is. Seeing him nearly die last night really pushed her over the edge, as she didn't want to lose someone that was becoming so important to her without even knowing who he really was.

As if just thinking of the blonde somehow conjured him, he was suddenly there in the town square appearing next to the fire where their dinner was cooking. The sudden appearance made everyone but Xul jump a bit, but they became more worried when he face planted into the dirt next to the fire. Before anyone could yell out to him, he lazily raised a hand and waved off their concern to let them know he was fine. Despite that, Leah still couldn't help but worry.

"What's wrong Naruto? Are you okay?"

Naruto rolled his head to the side where Leah was, even though she was more towards his feet and hard to see from his position, to speak to her. "I'm fine, just… frustrated."

"Why?"

"Because I spent hours out there looking for that shard, and _nothing_! I sent my clones out earlier and when they couldn't find anything, I decided to look myself since I'm a bit better sensor than my clones are. And I know the energy signature of the shards we have, so the third should have the same signature, but I _still_ couldn't find it! I went all over the place! So that shard is either destroyed or it's inside a barrier that I can't feel through."

"That would be terrible if it was destroyed! We _need_ the last piece to unlock our friend's memory here!" said Cain. The stranger next to him looked concerned as well since he too wanted to get his memories back.

"I find it unlikely that they would destroy it. When Maghda appeared before us, she was pretty adamant on recovering all the pieces, and it did not sound like she wanted them destroyed. But to, instead, have that power for themselves." said Johanna.

"Then this means that the Coven most likely are in possession of it, and like you said Naruto, have put a barrier around it so we can't locate it." said Valla.

"I agree, that sounds like the most probable scenario. What should we do now?" said Kharazim.

By this time Naruto had rolled over and put his arms underneath his head so he could see everyone around the fire and so he could speak to them somewhat properly. "The Coven have been sitting quite comfortably in Leoric's Manor since we came to New Tristram. I didn't feel it was necessary to move on them until now since they looked to be holed up up there for the most part. But I guess now's a good time as any to clear the place out and see if they have the shard."

"Then that settles it. We should probably head out in the morning, as the sun is going down already." said Valla.

Everyone was in agreement since the Coven had been in the manor at least as long as they've been in New Tristram so they probably had their defenses set up by now, and it would be safer to confront them in the daylight. Dinner was ready not too long after their discussion and Naruto took a seat between Leah and Sonya to eat with everyone.

He was glad there really wasn't too much tension between him and everyone else as they were still talking to him, but he did notice the conversation just wasn't as lively as usual. He noticed Li-Ming still hadn't said anything to him so he knew she was still upset, but her expression was no longer a mask of stoicism, so he hoped she was at least not angry with him anymore. He decided he would broach the subject that was most likely still on everyone's mind from the previous night to alleviate some of the tension, but wanted to wait until they finished eating.

The minutes passed as everyone ate their fill and were beginning to settle down. As they finished, Naruto volunteered some clones for clean up duty, much to their protest, but they begrudgingly complied after some choice words for their creator. He was about to garner their attention to begin but they all heard a commotion coming from one end of the village with people yelling out in a panic. Soon, a couple of guards came running to their group calling for their help.

"Wortham burns! The whole village has been set ablaze!"

"What?! Oh no! We have to help them!" said Leah.

"I'll go over there. This just might be a distraction to get us all out of the village, so it's best if you all stayed here. I can handle a fire. Leah, Cain, you should keep working on finding a way to get our friend's memory back. It might be best not to just rely on getting his sword." said Naruto.

"I am sorry for all the trouble I've caused. I owe you all a debt that cannot be repaid." said the stranger as he bowed to everyone as they all have helped him in some way.

"Nonsense, you have been sent to aid us in these troubled times. I can feel it in these old bones of mine. There is still much we can do to help you, there is still a chance we can find something we've missed. Come Leah, let us try to be of more use to our friend here."

"Okay uncle, let's do our best!" Leah followed Cain and the stranger into his house to continue their research. Naruto was about to leave when a voice stopped him.

"Are you sure you don't want any of us to go with you?" Naruto paused for a moment, hearing the voice he hasn't heard for some time. He turned to Li-Ming who spoke, giving her a small smile, glad to hear her speaking to him again, and seeing a minor look of concern on her face.

"I guess I can take someone with me, but I'll have to carry them to get there faster."

"That's fine, I'll go with you."

"Okay, the rest of you stay on guard. If anything happens, protect the villagers."

"We'll make sure everything is fine here, but you must hurry." said Sonya.

"Right." Naruto then turned his back to Li-Ming and crouched down so she could get on. "Let's go." She gave a nod of acceptance and climbed onto his back, securing her arms and legs tightly around him, so they could leave. Once she was situated, Naruto leaped onto a nearby building and made his way to the lake at the west side of the village to make his way to Wortham.

* * *

Once Naruto and Li-Ming made it to the water's edge, they could clearly see the light of the fire and smoke coming from the nearby fishing village. Naruto immediately moved to run across the large lake to get there as soon as they could.

"I know this probably isn't the time but, I'm sorry if I worried you last night."

"Who said I was worried?" Li-Ming said she would give him a piece of her mind earlier but she just couldn't find it in her to do so right now, she missed his warm presence and didn't want to ruin it by yelling at him.

"Oh, you just seemed..."

"(sigh) … Why do you insist on being so reckless, putting yourself in danger all the time?" Her voice was almost a whisper but being so close he had no trouble hearing her.

"I can't help it. I want to protect everyone I can. Especially those who are precious to me."

"Am I precious to you?"

"Yes."

"Then why won't you let me know anything substantial about you? Why hide so much of who you are?"

"It's complicated, but I promise I'll let you know as much as you want when we're finished here."

"I'll hold you to that."

"Hehe, I know you will."

Their brief conversation over, Naruto and Li-Ming soon came upon the shores of Wortham where they could hear the sounds of the burning fires along with the screaming of the villagers, but also the magic attacks of Coven members and their summoned demons.

"Dammit, I knew this wasn't just an accident. I'll leave a few clones with you to clear out the Coven and their demons. I'm going to handle the fires and rescue and heal everyone I can."

"Got it."

Li-Ming didn't need to be told anything further as she and the newly created clones quickly moved to engage the Coven that were causing this mess. While Naruto was busy doing his part, Li-Ming did not hesitate to do hers. She wasted no time striking down Coven after Coven with magic missiles, orbs, and bolts of lightning, while the clones Naruto left with her spread out to engage the demons they summoned. Ever since last night when she and the others discovered they were Nephalem, she felt more empowered and invigorated, so the fight felt much easier for her. She moved further into the town as more of the cultists were summoned and she heard one of them whispering to their allies as they tried to engage her.

"Is it only two of them? How is the plan going to work if we don't get all of them away from New Tristram?"

"They're just going to have to take drastic measures. The most important thing is getting that man away from the village, he is the most dangerous of all of them. So the plan should still work."

Li-Ming did not like the sound of that, as whatever plan they prepared wouldn't spell any good. But the majority of their friends were left in the village so she hopes that will be enough.

* * *

Naruto created some more clones to help put out the fires, gather the injured, and collect the bodies of the recently killed in the hopes that he could be in time to revive them. Naruto and his clones had some extinguishing bombs that had been developed some time ago in the Elemental Nations to quickly fight fires. These bombs acted more like smoke bombs and were mostly made up of carbon dioxide and other chemicals to cut out the oxygen from the fires and to prevent it from spreading. They were very useful for both shinobi and the civilian fire brigade.

Naruto and his clones spread out, as nearly the entire town was up in flames. They quickly used their bombs and went inside the buildings to search for anyone who was unfortunate enough to be trapped inside.

It took some time to search through all the buildings but Wortham was not a big as New Tristram, so hopefully he was able to find everyone in time. They gathered the bodies, injured and even the uninjured in front of the chapel at the end of town as most of the villagers had fled inside in the hopes that they would be safe. Luckily a group of clones got there in time to stop the fires that had engulfed the chapel and gathered everyone out in front.

Naruto had the clones keep everybody together as he was setting up his barrier to begin healing everyone at once. As luck would have it, once his barrier was up, more Coven and demons were summoned just outside the barrier, several of them being champion level as he could see the dark energy radiating around them. He wasn't worried for the villagers, since they couldn't break through his barrier no matter how hard they tried. However, by this time he dispelled the majority of his clones as they weren't needed anymore. Now Li-Ming was mostly on her own as the few clones he left to fight had been dispelled also, and he couldn't drop the barrier to create more to help her.

When the mostly uninjured villagers saw all the cultists and demons surrounding them, they went into a panic and tried to flee but hit the opaque blue wall, which set them into more of a panic. Their screaming made it a bit difficult for Naruto to concentrate on entering Sixth Paths Sage Mode but he eventually entered the state and those who were up and screaming in fear felt the heavy presence of his energy and turned to see his bright glowing form. He could see they were still in distress despite having lost their voices from the overwhelming feeling, so he spoke to them to try and calm them some more.

"Please listen, I'm here to help all of you okay. As long as that barrier is up, nothing can get in or out, so all those attacks the Coven and their demons are launching won't affect anything. So please calm down. I need to concentrate as there are a lot of people in here that need help and I'm going to do just that okay. I know this power of mine feels pretty heavy for all of you but I promise I'm here to help."

He didn't say anymore as dozens of chakra arms spread out to everyone who needed to be healed. As the villagers calmed some, they then hurriedly moved to find their families as their fear addled minds were taken over by the need to be with their loved ones. It wasn't hard for them to come together as the village only had about seventy people in their population and they all knew each other very well. A few families cried out as they found their fathers and sons unmoving and not breathing as they had tried to defend their families from the Coven so they could reach safety. A mother was also crying as her two children lay unconscious from smoke inhalation but she had assumed the worst. One family surrounded their mother as she had been hit by a Coven fireball when they made to escape to the chapel and had been badly burned but was unconscious.

Naruto had to really concentrate on healing this many people at once, and trying to revive those killed would take even more time. The families huddled closer to each other as the Coven and demons were not relenting against the barrier, and despite the man's words, were still scared they would break through. They then saw a group of cultists being blasted away by a large orb of power and three clones of the man helping them jumped into the crowd of demons to fight them. Naruto cast a glance to the side and saw Li-Ming launching more attacks and coming closer to engage their enemies. She saw him through the barrier as well and could see him mouth the words, _'stay safe,'_ to her. She gave him a small smile and nodded her head at him and renewed her assault.

* * *

New Tristram was being blitzed. Just a few minutes after Naruto and Li-Ming's departure, cultists and demons flooded the village from within. One house down from Cain's house, near the main gates, is where they flooded the town from. The group of warriors and their friends heard the door from the home being slammed open loudly, and they suddenly felt the outflux of demonic power. That's when Coven, dark berserkers, goatmen, and demons that looked to be large deformed lizards that they know as Hellions started coming out in groups to cause as much panic as they could.

The majority of the villagers were in their homes outside the village walls by this time and unaware of the attack, but those who lived within the town and those inside the tavern of the Slaughtered Calf Inn came out to see what was going on. All the warriors there moved to protect them and try to keep their enemies contained within the town square but it was proving difficult as more came rushing out of that house.

When he first saw the attack coming, Haedrig quickly moved Mira and Myriam to the bunker to get them out of harms way. When he turned to go help others find their way to the bunker, Mira had pleaded with him to stay with her where it was safe, as her fear of losing him due to her altered fate came back in full force. Haedrig kissed his wife and apologized to her, but he felt he should help by getting the other civilians out of the way. Mira had to be pulled back inside by Myriam as she began sobbing, fearing for her husband.

"Mira! Listen to me!" Myriam had to shout at her to get her attention, and when she did she continued. "Haedrig is going to be fine okay. Believe me, you have many sunrises to look forward to with your husband." She looked to have calmed down hearing Myriam's words as she stopped sobbing but had a few tears still flowing.

"Really? Are you sure?"

"Yes chelsa. There is no need to fear for your darling husband." As she said this, Mira noted the sad tone in Myriam's voice and started to get worried again.

"Is someone…"

"Come on dear, let's get further inside and wait this out as our friends handle this." Knowing she was refusing to acknowledge her question, Mira could only nod and follow Myriam's lead to get further into the bunker where it would be safer. She could only pray that everyone would be alright.

* * *

"Naruto was right, the fires in Wortham were probably only a distraction for this." said Valla as she kept up her attack against some of the Coven who were trying to summon more demons to aid them.

"It is certainly fortunate that the rest of us stayed behind." said Nazeebo who was fighting alongside her and Xul as they were all using their ranged attacks to cover their allies.

"It is, but they are not relenting. How can they summon so many with no time to prepare?"

"I cannot say for certain I am afraid."

"They're breaking off! We cannot allow them to get to the civilians!" Johanna suddenly yelled out as she saw sizable groups of demons and cultists flee further into the village as well as beyond the main gates towards the other homes outside the village walls.

They had to think fast as they couldn't allow the Coven to cause anymore chaos than they already have. Sonya and Johanna were already splitting up from the group to chase after their enemies; Sonya followed those escaping through the main gates and Johanna went further into town to stop them. There was still more Coven and demons coming into the town square, but Valla didn't want her two friends to be on their own. She felt Nazeebo and Xul would be the best options to back them up as they could also summon their own powerful creatures to help.

"Nazeebo."

"I understand, I will go give my aid to Johanna."

"Thank you, I'll give you an opening." She gave Nazeebo the opening he needed as she used rapid fire and mowed down a group of hellions that barred his path. She then turned to Xul to ask for his help as well. "Xul, can you please go aid Sonya? She shouldn't be on her own."

"As you wish. I will give her my assistance."

"Thank you, do you need…"

"That won't be necessary." Xul cleared his own path by summoning his blood golem and allowing him to use his mass of muscle to charge right through the cultists and demons in front of him and following its lead out the main gates.

That left Valla with Kharazim, Kormac and Lyndon to fend off the oncoming horde of enemies inside the main part of town. Kormac and Lyndon first focused on helping clear the path for Haedrig and the villagers caught out of their homes until they were safely led inside the bunker. They then moved to help cover Valla and Kharazim as they were dealing with more of the heavy hitters and the Coven.

* * *

The last of Naruto's clones were dispelled as they used themselves to shield Li-Ming when she was about to be blindsided by various attacks. The cultists and demons' numbers were dwindling but they still outnumbered her eleven to one, and a few demons that were left were champions. There were only three Coven left but they still had the ability to reinforce so she had to take them out soon before they could. Luckily, it looked like their reserves were low and they could only fire magic projectiles that were relatively weak.

She just finished off the last of the hellions and was currently evading attacks by five champion berserkers that could most likely take her out in one hit with their large maces. She was easily fast enough to evade them as they were slow overall, but they were attacking from different angles so it made her evasion a little more difficult. She then saw that the cultists were trying to pool their energies together to hopefully make one final summoning circle to reinforce themselves, so she had to act quickly to prevent that.

She decided to use some misdirection, something she's been using a lot more lately in fights due to inspiration from a certain blonde. She led the berserkers away from the cultists and allowed them to closely converge on her, to make them think they had her trapped. They all came upon her and swung their maces simultaneously with all their strength to finally crush her. They each landed a solid hit, and two of the five berserkers were killed and the others sustained their own damage as they realized they just attacked each other. They stood in confusion and increasing anger as their intended target wasn't where they last saw her.

Before she could be hit, Li-Ming used teleport to appear next to the cultists and used her chain lightning, long enough to fry them all at once, and stopping them from completing their summoning. The screams of the Coven members alerted the remaining berserkers as they turned to see their escaped target. Li-Ming noticed that as their rage empowered them they were also growing in size, becoming stronger and even more intimidating than before. She has read of this unique ability before that stated some allied demons will grow in power as their allies die. So even though their numbers decrease, it is still not going to get much easier for her.

Li-Ming was not deterred by this however as she had a combination that should hopefully put an end to them, but it would definitely drain her of her reserves. When the dark berserkers were fully empowered, they gave out a roar and charged her again wanting nothing but to kill this human in front of them. Before they could get too far in their charge, Li-Ming conjured a black hole in between them as it pulled them in, and its arcane energies were causing them significant pain and damage. She knew this wouldn't be enough to finish them, so she once again used her disintegrate spell in conjunction with the black hole, combining their energies. The combination essentially became so volatile that all three berserkers became nothing more than ash after a few seconds.

Li-Ming gave a sigh of relief as she slumped to the ground, being fairly exhausted right now. She looked at her hands and saw that they were red, but there wasn't any significant damage. Her hands only felt numb with a pins and needles sensation, so she was happy that she was improving, but there was still room to grow.

"Are you alright?"

Li-Ming looked up to see Naruto, as he just finished healing and thankfully reviving the Wortham villagers that had been killed. She could see them all behind him crying in joy and embracing each other, knowing this nightmare was over. She looked up to Naruto, seeing the concern on his face and remembering his question.

"Yes. I am fine. There really isn't any damage to my hands this time. Just a little numb." It looked like Naruto accepted her answer as he nodded his head, but she soon heard his voice again.

"You really scared the shit out of me you know that?"

"What do you mean?"

"When those berserkers cornered you. I really thought they had you as I could only look on from inside the barrier. Freaked me out for a second." Naruto offered his hand to her and she took it, slowly getting back on her feet. She then looked to him with a somber expression.

"… It's not a pleasant feeling is it? Watching helplessly as you believe your friend is dead."

"It's not, but I never meant for you to feel that way."

"Nor did I. But I am more cunning than you give me credit for. I do not charge in recklessly without a plan."

"Okay, you have a point. I can be reckless and not think things through entirely…"

"Yes, you…"

" _However_ , I know my limits better than anyone. I have been bed ridden more times than I care to remember and I have _always_ made a full recovery. I can't promise to completely stop being reckless, because if I see you or anyone else in danger and I have to use my own body as a shield to protect you, then I won't hesitate to do so." Li-Ming did not have a happy look on her face as he told her this, but before she could say anything he continued. "But, I will promise you that I'll try to be better at taking care of myself and not making you and the others worry. I don't plan to go anywhere for a very long time Li-Ming."

"(sigh) That's not exactly the response I wanted, but I guess that's the best I can get from an idiot."

Naruto was about to respond but his eyes went wide as he felt an overwhelming influx of power being channeled into one of his Hiraishin kunai. He knew they had to leave immediately.

"We have to go!" Without waiting for her to respond, Naruto grabbed Li-Ming's hand and Hiraishined back to the kunai that was being used.

* * *

When they first heard the attacks coming from outside, Leah, her uncle and the stranger went to hide in Cain's bedroom as that was the farthest room at the end of his house. Unfortunately they didn't expect the side wall of his bedroom to be broken wide open by a dark berserker, as a few Coven charged inside. They secured the two sword shards, along with the three of them using tendrils of dark red binding magics that caused all three constant pain. They were then dragged into the house where the demons were being summoned from through a back door. This way if any of those warriors left in the village caught on to their plan they would have to break through all their reinforcements to reach them. They had to buy as much time as they could for their leader to complete their objective.

It was then that Leah saw the two brothers, who she thought were normal men living in this home, were really Coven members that hid their true selves. They were using their own blood as offerings to continuously summon more demons and Coven. When they were each secured inside the house by three Coven members each; empowering the dark tendrils to keep them in place; the witch Maghda appeared before them, along with the last piece of the sword, the hilt that would complete it.

Maghda is an older woman with very pale skin, and despite her age, looks quite youthful. She wears an elaborate headpiece that covers the back of her skull and down to the nape of her neck and sternum, and leading up to two large, purple hornlike protrusions on the top of her head. Beneath that she wears a black corset and miniskirt, along with a longer purple and green skirt that only covers the back and sides of her legs. This leaves the front open to show black stockings that wrap around her ankles and go just above her knees, leaving part of her thighs and feet bare. Her feet never touch the floor though as she is constantly hovering above the ground with the use of green butterfly wings coming from her back. She also wears long purple finger-less gloves that reach past her elbows with green bracers covering her wrists.

"Finally, all the pieces have come together. The sword will be mine!"

"No! You can't have it! It was never yours! We won't let you take it!" Despite her bindings, Leah managed to grab Naruto's kunai, that was holstered on her hip, and with as much strength she could muster, which wasn't very much with her arms locked to her sides, threw it at Maghda so she could get him to help them.

Maghda easily evaded the somewhat slow projectile, and angrily looked to the girl who attacked and shouted at her. Her anger turned to suspicion after just a glance of her face and she focused all her attention on her as she studied her closely, along with feeling the power inside her.

The witch's close scrutiny of her started making Leah uncomfortable, but she was more worried that Naruto never came. Did she not throw it hard enough, was he busy with the Coven in Wortham too, was he too hurt to come, could he be… Her thoughts were cut off as Maghda's words caught her attention.

"What's this? You are… (gasp) Adria's daughter…? And, this power within you. You are definitely her spawn. How interesting."

"You knew my mother?"

"Yes, an old acquaintance of mine. Hardly worth remembering anymore."

"When did…"

"Enough of that now, there are more important things I must do than discuss someone who will soon be dead." Leah's eyes widened as Maghda took her attention off of her and onto Cain. "Deckard Cain! As you can see, I have brought the final piece of the sword we have all been looking for. I believe someone as smart as you has figured out just what this sword is, or at the very least you have your suspicions, don't you?"

"I have many theories of what this sword could be."

"Come now, don't play dumb with me. You and I both know that even with all the pieces together, no blacksmith on Sanctuary could possibly hope to successfully forge the shards to make it whole. Only one proficient in the Horadric arts could ever remake this sword. And you, Deckard Cain, are the last of the once mighty Horadrim." Maghda gave a signal to her Coven as they soon began torturing Leah by pumping more power into her dark bindings, causing her significant pain.

"Ahhhhhhh!"

"Leah! Stop this! Please!" The Coven stopped momentarily to lessen her screams as their leader spoke.

"The choice is yours Cain. Use your Horadric arts to repair the sword, or watch as your precious Leah dies a painful death!"

"All this mindless pain… this destruction… What is the sword to _you_?"

"To me, nothing. To my master, Belial… _everything_!" Maghda combined her own power into the tendrils holding Cain causing him more pain as he fell to his stomach, screaming. As Leah watched her uncle being tortured, she couldn't stop the boiling rage within her as her uncontrollable power began welling up inside her. Maghda continued with his torture but Leah couldn't take it anymore.

"Uncle!" Leah struggled to get free of her bindings which made the Coven pour more power into them to contain her; they noticed it was becoming increasingly difficult. Leah then lurched over in pain, not just from her bindings but from the power that wanted to out. "Hrrrgh, aaaAAAAAHHH!" A powerful explosion, along with a red wave of fiery power came from within her as all the Coven members were blasted apart in a gory mess. Maghda was able to shield herself with her energy in time but it barely managed to withstand the force. Her uncle and the stranger were blasted back but since her uncle was on the ground he was only hit with the initial explosion and not the wave of power that came after. The stranger was hit full force like the Coven but it looked like he was powerful enough to withstand the energy and not be killed outright.

Leah collapsed to her knees as using that much power immediately exhausted her. Maghda looked at the destruction made from this little girl and knew she would be dangerous in the future; but she didn't have time to kill her now as she could hear those warriors killing off the last of the Coven and demons that were buying her time. She looked around but the shards had also been blasted away and she couldn't afford to waste time looking for them, she had to make her next move now.

"Your rage is overwhelming girl. You win this round. But if the sword cannot be mine…" Maghda then turned to the stranger who was trying to get to his feet, and opened up a black portal beneath him that began pulling him in. He struggled to break free but it was no use, half his body was already pulled in and soon the rest of him went with it. "I'll claim the one it's bound to! In the end, the blade shall be mine!" Maghda soon disappeared as well to make her retreat and start planning to retake the sword again.

Leah was getting her strength back and immediately ran over to her uncle as he struggled to use his staff to get up to his knees. "Uncle! You **can't** die!"

"Nothing can stop that now. But there is one last thing I must do…" Cain used his Horadric magics to find and pull the shards to him as they came out of various piles of rubble. "The sword, must be made whole." The last Horadrim used the rest of his energy to bring the pieces together, and after several moments a brilliant white light filled the room and the sword took on a new form and was whole once again. "Just as I suspected. The sword is of the High Heavens! The stranger, is an angel! Leah, heed the journal… the truth… lies, within." Cain's body finally gave out as he collapsed forward, unmoving.

"Uncle Deckard!" Leah could only cry as her uncle lay there, clutching onto his body.

* * *

After a hard fought battle, Sonya and Xul were on their way back from the homes that were outside the town walls. Their enemies weren't very difficult to defeat but the reinforcements made the fight longer, but they made sure there was nothing left of them. The same could be said for Johanna and Nazeebo, but their enemies fled into the Weeping Hollow where they could spread out more, so they took a little longer to hunt them all down. Valla and her group were also finishing up defeating their enemies inside the main part of town, but were too late when they heard a wail of agony and the explosion of power from within the house that the Coven and demons were coming from. At the same time, Sonya, Xul, Johanna and Nazeebo all felt the sudden surge of power and quickly rushed to get back in town.

As their enemies were dwindling down, Valla was close enough to the house to hear Leah's pained sobs and left the rest of their enemies to her allies as the others were just coming on scene. She rushed into the dwelling and saw many dismembered corpses of Coven surrounding Leah and her uncle. She could still feel the power that killed these cultists and noticed it was coming from Leah herself. Valla went over to try and calm the distraught girl down, but she soon became frantic looking for something that would help save her uncle.

"What is it Leah? What are you looking for?"

"Naruto's kunai! I threw it earlier but he didn't come! I have to try again!" Leah was still weak as she moved sluggishly and clumsily as she searched for the kunai.

"Leah you can barely stand, stay with your uncle. I'll find it for you okay?"

"O-okay, but please hurry!"

"My little friends here will find it in no time."

Valla summoned her ferrets again and gave them directions to look for a knife that would be similar to her throwing knives. They've had practice doing this for their mistress as they would often retrieve her knives during her training, so this wasn't anything new to them. While the ferrets looked for the kunai, the others were already outside the dwelling and Valla came out to briefly explain as much as she could about what happened, and she suggested to the others that they stay outside to give Leah some space. After a few minutes, one ferret came from under a pile of broken furniture with the kunai in its mouth and ran straight to Leah as that's who Valla said was looking for it.

Leah immediately took the kunai from the ferret and pumped as much of her energy into it as she could, and soon enough Naruto arrived almost immediately after she channeled her energy into the kunai.

* * *

Naruto and Li-Ming appeared inside a wrecked home that had demonic writings in blood covering the walls, floor and ceiling all around them. The smell of freshly spilled blood and the gruesome sight of human remains also littered the ground around him. As he looked down he saw a distraught Leah crying over the still form of her uncle as he lay there motionless, while tightly clutching his kunai in her hand and still channeling her energy into it. Naruto immediately crouched down to grab hold of her to let her know he was there and so he could try to help her uncle.

"Leah! I'm here!"

"Naruto! Please, please help uncle Deckard!"

"I will, just let me…" Naruto reached back into his pouch and as he dug around in there he realized that he left his barrier kunai back in Wortham. "Shit, I don't have my kunai!"

"Please Naruto!"

"… Okay." Naruto knew he would have trouble with this but he had to try and do something. _'Kurama. I know this is a long shot but you_ _guys_ _have to help me.'_

' _Alright, but you know what will happen.'_

' _I know, I'll handle it.'_

Naruto got on his knees beside Cain and with the aid of Kurama and the other Biju tried to enter Sixth Paths Sage Mode without his barrier to block all the negative emotions that engulfed Sanctuary. He believed he could endure the sensations that would come, and pull through to help Cain. But instead of feeling the pull of natural energy into his body and the negative emotions that would inevitably come with it, he felt the pull from something in his _own_ body, along with his own negative emotions as well as those of the Biju within him.

A cloak of chakra had indeed engulfed him, but it wasn't the bright golden color that he was hoping for. Instead, he looked at his hands as his chakra took on a dark crimson color forming Kurama's long ears along with four tails. He saw his nails lengthening, felt his teeth sharpening, his whiskers becoming more pronounced, his eyes turning red and pupils becoming slits. His skin was beginning to burn off, as small flakes became ash once it passed the cloaks barrier, but since he was still in control it was happening very slowly and was only affecting his hands at this point. This was a sensation he hasn't felt for quite some time as his anger was also starting to elevate, but he was not losing control. The Biju's negative emotions were being pulled on, causing their chakra to take this form.

Everyone outside the house thought it would be okay now that Naruto was there, but none of them were expecting the outpouring of negative energy from their resident sage. They immediately believed it to be demonic in nature and were nervous because it was easily the largest demonic signature they have ever felt. Johanna was the most distressed because this was the exact opposite of the comforting feeling she felt whenever he entered Sixth Paths Sage Mode to heal them.

Valla was also surprised by this feeling. She never thought Naruto could give off this type of feeling because of how cheery he always is. She knew this feeling well, this is what hatred felt like. But this was far beyond _anything_ she has ever felt before. She's sure if all the Demon Hunters in Sanctuary somehow pooled their hatred together, it still wouldn't compare to this feeling.

Everyone in the village and surrounding areas could feel the dark and overbearing chakra that emanated from Naruto. Li-Ming had to back away from him as she looked on in slight fear of what she could only describe as a demonic aura surrounding him. Leah, was concerned over the transformation, but also fascinated as she did not express as much fear as one would think from the demonic feeling as she remained kneeled by his side, still hoping he could save her uncle.

"K-kurama! What is happening?! I don't want this type of chakra!"

' _It isn't us! We aren't doing this! These demonic runes covering this room are pulling on our negative emotions causing our dark chakras to come out! You have to stop Naruto! You can never achieve the balance needed to enter any sage mode here! We can feel your allies' unease and the villagers' terror due to the oppressive feeling you're giving off!'_

"Shit!" Naruto stopped trying to enter his sage mode and the cloak of chakra slowly faded away, leaving his hands damaged but immediately started to heal. His breathing was labored and his skin was a little pink as the chakra became corrosive. He saw the tears streaming down on Leah's face as she realized he couldn't help her uncle, so he then created a clone to retrieve his kunai in Wortham to allow him to rest a bit. He honestly didn't think it would help at this point, but he had to try, at least for Leah's sake.

The others became concerned, and while his cloak was fading away they entered the ruined dwelling with caution, giving Naruto a wide berth as they looked on in slight suspicion. This incident just made the group of veteran warriors more suspicious of the blonde and the entire group definitely wanted answers after this, to truly make sure Naruto was friend instead of foe.

Naruto could feel their wary stares and knew there was no chance to talk his way out of this, but he wanted to wait for his clone so he could try one more time with Cain. "… After my clone gets back and I try to help Cain again. I'll tell you whatever you want."

No one said anything, but they were all in silent agreement of Naruto's requests. It took several minutes before the clone appeared before him and threw down the kunai so Naruto could immediately activate his barrier. The others watched as he successfully entered his sage mode and tried to bring Cain back. Leah was still beside him inside the barrier, hoping to see any sign of life from her uncle. After several minutes Naruto dropped the barrier along with sage mode as he was unsuccessful in bringing Cain back.

As soon as he stopped, the others realized what this meant and remained silent as only Leah's pained sobs could be heard. They all offered up silent prayers for the man who gave Sanctuary a plethora of invaluable knowledge about angels, demons and their history; and did all he could his entire life to support the war against the forces of Hell. He was a man who has seen and been a part of history and the world would surely miss him.

Naruto was going to leave Leah to grieve, as he thought she might blame him for not being able to save her uncle, so all he could do now was offer his condolences. "I'm so sorry Leah." What he didn't expect was for her to latch onto him before he could get up, and cry even harder into his chest. It surprised him for a moment, but he soon wrapped his arms around her to try and comfort her as best he could.

As this was going on, Li-Ming noticed something that was mostly hidden by Cain's body as it looked like he had fallen onto it in his final moments. It looked to be the tip of a handle as she gently grasped it to carefully pull it out from beneath him. It was a beautifully crafted double edged sword with a golden hilt that was giving off a soft glow.

"Is this… Wait! Where is the stranger?! What happened to him?!" This whole incident, along with Cain's sudden death, made everyone forget about the fallen star that they were trying to help in the first place. When Leah heard Li-Ming's shout, she knew she had to save her grieving for later as her uncle would want her to keep moving forward and help these powerful warriors fight the evils of Hell. She removed herself from Naruto and wiped her tears, and told them everything that happened in this house while the town was under attack.

* * *

"So Maghda has him now?" asked Johanna.

"Yes. If only I had more control of this power, I could have saved us, and uncle Deckard wouldn't…"

"You can't blame yourself for this Leah. The only one who holds responsibility for Cain's death is Maghda. And she _will_ be held accountable; for _all_ her crimes." said Valla.

"Yes, both Maghda and her master Belial have done this. I didn't think it was possible, but after he reforged the sword, uncle said the stranger is an angel, and I remember his journal speaking of an angel falling from the heavens as the shadow rises from the abyss. The stranger, is the key to all of this!"

"Haha! I knew it!" Lyndon suddenly exclaimed as he remembered joking about the falling star being an angel when he first spoke to Naruto, Kharazim and Xul. Everyone just looked at him blankly, not believing it to be the right time. "Sorry." But Kharazim had to give him at least some credit.

"Indeed that was a lucky guess my friend."

"We must not waste time, if we find Maghda we find the fallen star." said Sonya.

"Then it's back to the original plan. Like Naruto said before, they have occupied Leoric's manor for some time now. So we can be certain that is where Maghda will be." said Li-Ming.

"You're right. When my power erupted, I saw into her mind for an instant. They have entirely taken over Leoric's old manor and his hunting grounds. You'll have to go through the highlands to reach there. The easiest way to get there is to cut through the caves above Wortham, otherwise you would have to go around the mountain which could take days."

"If that is what we must do, then it will be done." said Johanna.

"You have to know she'll be waiting for you."

"That is to be expected. Maghda used the tactic of splitting us up here in _this_ battle, but with all of us together, there is little she can do." said Kharazim.

Li-Ming noticed that while this conversation was going on Naruto had been awfully quiet. She looked around and saw him off to the side leaning against the wall with an unfocused look on his face. She knew he was probably blaming himself for Cain's death, and worried about explaining the demonic aura he was exuding before. She walked over to him and stood beside him while not even acknowledging her presence. She bumped into his hip with her own to get his attention as she spoke to him.

"Are you alright?"

"(sigh) Yeah. I'm fine."

"Liar."

Naruto didn't have anything to respond to that and they both stood in an uncomfortable silence still just trying to process everything that's happened tonight. After a while Li-Ming figured she would have to be the one to keep the conversation going, so she did.

"She doesn't blame you."

"How can you be sure?"

"Well, I think crying into your chest is a sign of the trust she has put in you. Because if she _did_ blame you I doubt she'd even want to look at you."

"Do _you_ trust me?"

"Don't be an idiot! If I didn't trust you I wouldn't be here trying to get your head together!"

"How can you trust me if you're afraid of me? I felt the fear you all had when I took that form."

"Of course we were afraid! How else would you expect someone to react to that kind of malice! But it's gone now, so there isn't anything to be afraid of anymore! And don't think you can weasel your way out of explaining just what that was! The first thing we have to do is retrieve that angel from Maghda's clutches and as soon as that's done you will answer all my questions just like you promised! Is that clear?!"

Naruto couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he listened to Li-Ming. "Hehe, I was kind of waiting for you to blow up at me. Didn't think it would take this long though."

"Well it's better late than never! You just get so, _frustrating_ when you're stupid like this!"

"How true Li-Ming." said Valla. It looks like their conversation got the attention of the others as they were all pretty much in agreement with Li-Ming as Nazeebo, Sonya, and Johanna voiced their own agreements. Leah also silently agreed with them, but she was still hurting too much from her uncle's loss to voice it out loud. Even Kormac was on their side by claiming that the others were making fair points. "Are you done sulking Naruto? Because if you are, we have work to do."

"Wasn't sulking." Naruto mumbled to himself, but soon stood straight and stretched out his arms to get ready. "Sorry guys. I guess I missed the plan. But just point me in the right direction and I'll get this shit _done_!"

"We're doing this, _together_!" said Li-Ming.

"Oh, well that works too. I guess."


End file.
